Teeth Grinding in Babies

One of the most common things that parents will ask their baby’s doctor about is teeth grinding. Starting around the age of six months or so, babies that are just starting to get their first teeth will often start to grind their teeth, especially at night when they sleep. Teeth grinding is known as bruxism, and is fairly normal.

Most of the time, your baby is just getting used to the feel of those teeth in her mouth. It’s an entirely new sensation to her. There are other things, however, that can trigger teeth grinding in babies. For example, pain from an earache may cause your baby to grind her teeth. If your baby has breathing problems due to allergies or a stuffy nose, that may also cause teeth grinding. There are some experts who believe that pinworms are sometimes the cause of your baby grinding her teeth.

For older children, teeth grinding usually starts at around the age of 3 1/2. It will usually stop by the time the child hits 6 years old. It’s common for children around the age of 5 who are starting to get their adult teeth. For kids above the age of 6, teeth grinding is thought to sometimes be a sign that the child is experiencing anxiety or stress.

If you grind your teeth, your baby is more likely to grind his. If he tends to drool or talk in his sleep, he’s also much more likely to grind his teeth.

Teeth grinding usually sounds much more horrific than it actually is. In most cases, your baby isn’t harming her teeth at all, and it’s most likely that she will soon outgrow the habit.

Usually, your baby will grind his teeth while he’s asleep, at night. If you’re concerned about your baby’s dental health, you should consider talking to his dentist about the situation. The dentist can check to see that there isn’t any excessive wear on your baby’s teeth.