home Calculators A child grinds his teeth in his sleep, causes of bruxism. Teeth grinding at night: finding out the cause of the problem. Why does a child grind his teeth?

A child grinds his teeth in his sleep, causes of bruxism. Teeth grinding at night: finding out the cause of the problem. Why does a child grind his teeth?

Grinding your teeth in your sleep is scientifically called bruxism. This phenomenon is usually attributed to children, but it can also occur in adults. According to research, this disease occurs in 1 to 3% of the population, including adults. In total, up to 50% of children younger age suffers from bruxism! Moreover, girls suffer from this disease one and a half times more often than boys. Easily excitable, hyperactive children are more prone to bruxism. Among children with this disease, there are many who suffer from disorders endocrine system and with bite deviations.

At its core, bruxism is a contraction (clonic spasms) of the masticatory muscles, due to which the lower jaw is strongly pressed against the upper jaw and begins to move. Bruxism also includes involuntary slurping in sleep, swallowing saliva and chattering teeth. Attacks of nocturnal bruxism usually last up to ten seconds, during which the arterial pressure, increased heart rate and breathing. There is also daytime bruxism, which includes the habit of thumb sucking, the habit of biting and sucking on one’s own lips, and the urge to grind teeth. Daytime bruxism is less common than nighttime bruxism.

The true cause of bruxism this moment not installed. Most doctors are inclined to think that the main cause of teeth grinding at night is stress. The child’s psyche is still too unstable to overcome everyday stressful situations. And at night, during sleep, the body produces cramps in the masticatory muscles as a reaction to stress. The body thus gets rid of accumulated tension: it results in an attack of grinding. Another cause of bruxism is considered to be neurological problems.

If attacks of bruxism last less than 10 seconds, then this is considered normal and seems to go away on its own with age. Longer attacks require observation and treatment.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the situation, parents should not wave their hand, saying, just think, the child grinds his teeth in his sleep. Bruxism has very bad consequences. The main danger of bruxism is damage to tooth enamel as a result physical impact and even staining and breaking teeth. Indirectly, bruxism may indicate disorders of the nervous system and that the child is under stress. Therefore, if you notice that your baby grinds his teeth at night in his sleep, and also if during the day he sucks his fingers, lips, or bites his lips, then you should contact a neurologist and dentist. In addition, children with bruxism may experience headache, the child develops the habit of clenching his jaws too tightly, and this leads to pathologies in the development of the jaws, chewing apparatus and the teeth themselves. This could lead to illness in the future. gastrointestinal tract, early tooth loss and other health problems.

In each case, the doctor chooses individual treatment. These are usually measures aimed at relieving stress. Parents of a child suffering from bruxism should pay more attention to their baby. Late dinner should be avoided; the last meal should be no later than two hours before bedtime. As a snack, it’s good to give your child a carrot or an apple to chew on, so that the jaw muscles “tire” even more and they don’t have the energy to contract at night. Before going to bed, you should avoid active games and movies and fairy tales that stimulate the nervous system. Reading should be calm and peaceful, and it’s better to avoid watching TV at night. Instead, it will be much more beneficial if you buy the child in warm water with addition coniferous compounds, helping to relax the muscles, and after putting the child to bed, just sit down next to him and pray to the Guardian Angel together, calmly talk with the baby about the past day, about what upset him and, of course, about what made him happy. Children do not know how to talk about their problems; they need to be “talked to.” Perhaps during such heartfelt conversations you will learn something that you had never thought of before, that the child has never talked about. For example, that he is offended in kindergarten or at school, maybe he doesn't find common language with his peers, maybe the teacher is picking on him.

From medical supplies Special splints that help relax muscles help fight attacks of bruxism, and a mouth guard made from individual impressions will protect your teeth. The doctor can choose vitamin complex regulating the activity of the nervous system, recommend warm wet compresses on the jaw. Treatment for childhood bruxism is relatively simple; it is much easier to do it in early childhood than to correct more in adulthood serious illnesses caused by bruxism.

Text: Ekaterina Solovyova

Contrary to the opinion of grandparents, helminthic intoxication is not the only cause of teeth grinding. Doctors also talk about other causes of grinding in children.

The main causes of teeth grinding

A child grinds his teeth when he:

Genetic disposition. Bruxism is inherited. Boys are especially susceptible to the genetic factor. The hereditary phenomenon goes away over time and cannot be treated. If it causes discomfort, you need to help the child and teach him exercises that relax the muscles. Regularly do warm compresses and special massages.
Stressful situations, nervous tension, strong emotions are considered main reason why a child grinds his teeth during sleep or during the day. An excited nervous system causes spasms in which the lower jaw squeezes the upper jaw. An eventful day for a baby, emotional overexcitation can provoke bruxism, and at night the baby may grind his teeth.
Sleep disturbances. Overtiredness, agitation before bedtime, active games, late going to bed, cause tension in the jaws, leading to grinding. Children's body requires good rest and falling asleep at the same time.
Teething. When baby teeth appear in babies and when they are replaced with permanent ones, some children begin to actively grind their teeth, testing their strength.
Adenoids, tonsillitis, sinusitis, polyps, leading to dryness of the larynx and nasopharynx, increase the risk of developing nighttime teeth grinding by 80%. To other symptoms of ENT diseases, constant creaking is added, as the child involuntarily moves his jaws in his sleep.
Malocclusion. Teeth touching incorrectly causes friction and grinding. Bite pathologies cannot always be seen with the naked eye. Therefore, you need to visit the pediatric dentist regularly.
Neurology and mental disorders. With such disorders, the child’s brain does not fully relax during sleep and affects teeth grinding.

There are several signs that make it clear that the balance of the child’s psyche is disturbed:

hunted look, hesitant gait, stoop;
annoying movements - swinging legs, twitching eyebrows and eyelids, sniffling without snot, the child often coughs, clearing his throat when he wants to say something;
crying with minor irritation and frustration;
frequent clenching of fists;
in his sleep he hides thumb into a fist;
restlessness, absent-mindedness;
night twitching of limbs, nightmares and awakening from them, crying in sleep.

If grinding is accompanied by the listed symptoms, its causes lie in stress or serious anxiety.

What is the danger of bruxism in a child?

When a child begins to grind his teeth, this often does not cause concern to parents. After all, in appearance, bruxism is not serious problem. But children suffering from night grinding of teeth differ from their peers in hyperactivity or, conversely, apathy, absent-minded attention, bad memory, disturbed sleep patterns, which in the future greatly interferes with their normal learning and development. If teeth grinding is left untreated and left unattended, physical health the child may get worse.

He will have:

nervous exhaustion due to lack of sleep;
abnormal growth teeth;
headache;
ringing in the ears, discomfort when opening the mouth;
eating disorders;
loose, cracked, worn teeth;
worn enamel, caries, periodontitis;
diseases of the maxillofacial joint.

What to do if your child grinds his teeth in his sleep

When the mother noticed that the baby began to intensively grind his teeth at night, she needed:

Contact dental clinic. Pediatric dentist will appoint necessary treatment and determine how to protect tooth enamel from mechanical impact. A popular method of getting rid of enamel destruction due to bruxism is a dental splint. With its help, the teeth of the upper and lower jaw will not rub and touch each other.
The doctor will suggest several exercises to relax the jaws and wean the baby from clenching his teeth. An excellent method of combating bruxism is jaw-muscular massage. By soaking a cloth in warm water and applying it to the jaw muscles in the morning, the baby will get rid of painful sensations.
Another doctor you need to see is a psychologist. He will examine the child and evaluate him mental condition. In this way, the causes of teeth grinding can be identified. Children often develop bruxism if they do not find support in the family, feel a cold attitude from a teacher or lack of understanding from peers. By identifying the cause of a psychological problem, it can be cured.
If bruxism is caused neurological diseases, you need to contact a neurologist. A child often stops grinding his teeth after taking vitamin complexes.
For ENT diseases, an otolaryngologist will help you get rid of bruxism. A child who constantly grinds his teeth may need to have polyps or adenoids removed.

Preventive measures to stop your baby from grinding his teeth are:

muscle relaxation exercises shown by the dentist;
establishing a daily routine and going to bed on time. If a child has difficulty falling asleep, you can give him teas made from soothing herbs, take sedative baths with essential oils. Decoctions of lavender, mint, linden color, lemon balm;
It is necessary to monitor the baby's nutrition. Reduce consumption of sugar, fatty foods, fast food;
A small child who grinds his teeth at night needs to increase the load on his facial muscles to relieve tension. To do this, he is given more solid food - crackers, bagels, apples, carrots.
stabilize the child’s emotional state. Do not allow playing computer games or watching TV 2 hours before bedtime;
increase the frequency and duration of walks fresh air;
create a calm atmosphere in the house. Do not shout, try to avoid quarrels in the family. Surround your child with warmth and love. Try to improve his relationships with classmates, talk with the teacher and eliminate accumulated grievances and troubles;
make warm compresses in the morning and put on dental splints;
visit the dentist regularly.

About half of children suffer from bruxism (jaw grinding at night). Why does a child grind his teeth in his sleep? Is it dangerous for the physical and mental health? Does bruxism need to be treated? Let's try to answer these questions.

Night grinding of teeth is an involuntary spasm of the masticatory muscles. The jaws close and begin to move uncontrollably from side to side or back and forth. Upper and lower teeth rub against each other, creating a grinding sound. At this moment, there may be a cessation of breathing, a change in pressure, and pulse. This usually lasts a few seconds, sometimes minutes.

Causes

Most parents are sure that teeth grinding at night is a sign of worms. And without any tests they start giving the baby medicine. Unaware that there are a number of reasons why a child grinds his teeth in his sleep. These include:

In some cases, the exact cause of bruxism cannot be determined. Or several of them at once. Bruxism is most often observed at night, when mainly the subconscious mind works, but sometimes grinding occurs during the day.

Night rattle

Often, in a moment of anger, adults involuntarily clench their jaws and begin to grind their teeth, trying to restrain aggression. Children do the same, on a subconscious level.

At night, the brain analyzes all daytime events. Children experience shocks much more acutely, which is why bruxism in them due to nervous overstrain is a common occurrence.

Therefore it is very important quality sleep of sufficient duration.

Bruxism is usually observed in the phase REM sleep. This causes muscle twitching, active movements eye.

Bruxism often appears against the background of sleepwalking or sleep talking. This is also a nighttime manifestation of anxiety and stress. Don't panic, it's not mental disorder, often children “outgrow” restlessness at night (Read the article to find out why children sleep poorly?>>>).

Bruxism, like other deviations, is usually observed in active children who began to crawl, walk, and talk early.

If a child grinds his teeth in his sleep, then his nervous system is most likely easily excitable. During the day, such babies may have the habit of biting their nails and pencils.

Do not wake your son or daughter during night walks, try to secure and limit the available space. Calmly put him back to bed. Sometimes enuresis is added to everything. This is already a clear symptom of nervous tension. In this case, seek advice from a neurologist and psychologist.

Daytime grinding

If bruxism occurs during the day, the reasons may be the following:

Bad habit. Kids love to repeat after older adults. Once you saw or heard teeth grinding and tried it. The child may like the new sensation. The baby will repeat this action many times. Bruxism will become a habit. It is quite difficult to wean from it, but it is necessary;

There are two ways. The simplest one, which often works for different difficult situations- do not mention it. Distract your baby with an interesting game or conversation. The more often you do this, the more likely it is that he will gradually forget the habit and bruxism will disappear.

But it doesn't always work out. Sometimes a baby enjoys grinding his teeth so much that it is impossible to distract him. Big baby You can try to explain the harm of bruxism to teeth. A little one will most likely not understand this yet, but an older child can begin to take care of his teeth.

Bruxism in a baby may be caused by weaning , pacifiers. The habit of sucking and chewing remains. During the day, he may also bite his lips or hold a finger in his mouth;
Another common cause of bruxism is malocclusion, structural features of the facial skeleton. This problem is solved in the dental office;
Sometimes bruxism occurs due to adenoids. This is the name for a pathologically growing tonsil in the pharynx. As its size increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to breathe. You have to open your mouth, which can cause teeth grinding - bruxism.

Strengthening the immune system is the main task of parents.

Removal of adenoids is indicated if they lead to difficulty breathing, frequent illnesses, hearing loss.

The last complication at the age when the baby should learn to speak better (2-4 years) can lead to impaired speech development, a significant lag behind peers (read the article to find out when a child begins to speak?>>>).

Another difficulty: due to complicated breathing, the brain does not receive enough oxygen and cannot develop normally. Therefore, if your son or daughter has been diagnosed with adenoids and the doctor recommends surgery, analyze the child’s condition. Listen to how he breathes, assess the level of development, consult with several specialists.

Teething, worms

Rarely does a baby experience no discomfort sore gums. Everyone has a different pain threshold. Some tolerate teething quite calmly and are a little nervous, others suffer so much that they themselves cannot sleep normally and their parents spend sleepless nights.

Discomfort may well cause bruxism in children at any time of the day. ;

Help the baby. Apply a special anesthetic gel to your gums; it will relieve swelling and inflammation and speed up teething. To calm down and prevent bruxism and other problems, have more compassion for your baby and pay him a lot of attention at this time. Teething - difficult period For little man, he is unlikely to be able to cope on his own.

The most known cause both daytime and nighttime bruxism - worms;

IN in rare cases bruxism occurs due to inflammation jaw joints which provokes muscle spasms.

How to get rid of teeth grinding?

If a child grinds his teeth during sleep for no more than 10 seconds, bruxism is considered normal. The baby should outgrow it.

Help him, arrange normal mode day, avoid active games in the evening, limit the time spent at the computer.

If bruxism attacks last longer, you should be observed by a specialist and, if necessary, treated.

The problem should not be left unattended. Bruxism can be very unpleasant consequences. The main thing is damage to the enamel. If the grinding is very strong, the teeth may even break or crumble. Other consequences of bruxism:

discomfort in the jaw;
headache;
pathologies of the jaws, teeth, chewing apparatus, which can lead to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

What to do if a child grinds his teeth in his sleep?

Each case is individual. A child suffering from bruxism should be shown to specialists:

To the therapist. Get tested, check for helminths;
To the dentist. Check whether there are pathologies in the structure of the jaw or bite;
Neuropathologist;
If necessary, contact a psychologist.

Splints prevent bruxism and prevent tooth enamel from being worn away. They are made individually and placed in your mouth before going to bed. When using a mouthguard, tooth contact, creaking, mechanical damage, a normal bite is formed. If a child suffers from bruxism during the day, a different type of splint can be made. It is invisible, but prevents the closure of the dentition.

In case of bruxism due to neurological problems, create a favorable atmosphere for the baby and help him relax:

Limit factors that can cause nervous tension;

For example, watching TV for a long time, computer games that provoke bruxism. Hyperactive children are advised to avoid places large cluster people (for example, hypermarkets), as this can cause severe nervous tension. To prevent bruxism, teach your child to play calmly, interest him, and direct his energy in a “peaceful direction.”

Take your child outside more. Fresh air will provide sufficient oxygen supply to the child’s brain;
Do not allow your child to drink drinks that stimulate the nervous system (carbonated drinks, strong tea) before bedtime. If possible, eliminate them altogether;
Before going to bed, to prevent nighttime bruxism, warm the area of the masticatory muscles (dry heat);

If your child suffers from bruxism, don't panic. Find out the cause, try to eliminate it, if you can’t do it yourself, consult a doctor. Treatment of bruxism in children sometimes takes a long time, but in any case it will bring results.

If parents hear their child grinding his teeth while sleeping, this almost always causes anxiety and concern. However, this condition, called bruxism by doctors, is quite common in preschoolers, such as children as young as 2 years old.

Grinding of teeth during sleep is observed in both young children and some adults

Statistics show that teeth grinding during sleep occurs in more than 50% of children under 8 years of age and about 3% of adults, but this condition is not called a pathology or disease. So that the appearance of a grinding noise does not frighten parents, they should find out what the causes of this phenomenon are and what to do to eliminate it.

Why does teeth grinding occur?

Grinding occurs due to involuntary contraction of the chewing muscles when the child's jaw clenches uncontrollably. This is more often observed at night, and can appear in children, for example, at 4 years old, and in adults. Most cases of teeth grinding occur in males. In children, such squeaks are usually short-lived (last about 10 seconds).

In the following video you can learn a little more about bruxism in children and its causes.

Psychological reasons

One of the most common factors that provoke the appearance of teeth grinding during sleep is considered to be psychological problems. These include:

Stressful situations, for example, adapting to kindergarten or school loads, quarrels between parents, sudden weaning, addition to the family, moving and other situations that cause negative stress. Because of them, the baby becomes more excitable and irritable, or, on the contrary, whiny and depressed. This is what causes teeth grinding at night.
Overwork. It can also be caused by excessive physical activity, and a significant teaching load. As a result, the child is capricious, tired, whiny, irritable, sleepy, feels depressed, is often sad, and sleeps less well.
Lack of sleep, which can cause nightmares, disrupted daily routine, medications, increased excitability nervous system, nocturnal enuresis, frequent awakenings or problems falling asleep. If your child becomes overstimulated before bed due to prolonged viewing of television or computer games, as well as due to punishments, reprimands or quarrels, this often manifests itself at night by grinding teeth.

Grinding of teeth can be caused by an unfavorable atmosphere in the house, quarrels and shouting.

Dental reasons

In more than half of young children, the cause of bruxism is the following physical factors identified by dentists:

Problems with bite (the jaws do not close completely, one of them moves forward, there are gaps between the teeth). If a child’s bite is disturbed, the baby will try to place his teeth more conveniently due to discomfort and, as a result, grind them.
Problems with the structure of the jaw joints. They can be congenital (anomalies of joint development) or caused by inflammation. In any case, this requires treatment by a dentist.
Teething in early age. Due to the feeling of discomfort and itching, babies rub their teeth against each other. As a rule, in such a situation, bruxism disappears as soon as the teeth erupt and stop bothering the baby.
Changing baby teeth in older children. This is a common cause of grinding during sleep in children 7-8 years old.
Too little load on the gums due to insufficient amounts of solid food in the children's menu.

Heredity

It has been noted that if the child’s grandparents or parents have bruxism in childhood, the child’s likelihood of grinding teeth during sleep increases. Moreover, with a genetic predisposition, bruxism more often appears in boys who are 3 years old.

If one of your relatives suffered from bruxism, the likelihood that your child will experience teeth grinding increases

Diseases

The baby may grind his teeth when he appears severe runny nose, otitis or sinusitis. Also quite often, adenoiditis and nasal polyposis manifest as grinding sounds in a dream. With such diseases, the baby is bothered by a stuffy nose and discomfort in the ears or throat. As soon as the symptoms of the disease pass, bruxism also disappears, no longer occurring in a healthy toddler.

In some children, teeth grinding occurs during epilepsy, as a sign of seizures, so if episodes of grinding occur regularly, the child should be shown to a specialist.

Teeth grinding may simply be a symptom of some other disease and disappear after the baby recovers

Vitamin and mineral deficiency

It has been noted that insufficient intake of B vitamins, magnesium, calcium and some other elements into the body can provoke the appearance of muscle cramps, which result in periodic teeth grinding.

Komarovsky's opinion

Famous doctor always tries to warn parents not to associate grinding teeth in their sleep with worms, as is common among the older generation. Komarovsky emphasizes that medical research have not confirmed such a connection, so there is no need to immediately give it to a child who grinds his teeth at night anthelmintics, No.

The popular doctor reminds that the exact causes of bruxism have not yet been established and in many children it goes away without treatment. If this phenomenon greatly bothers the child and threatens to damage teeth that are not yet strong enough, according to Komarovsky, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Consequences

If the cause of the grinding is a bad bite, constant grinding of teeth will wear away the enamel of the teeth. As a result, teeth become more sensitive, become loose and destroyed. They are often affected by caries, and the tissues around the tooth become inflamed. As a result, the child complains of pain in the jaw, teeth and headaches. In addition, the formation of the facial part of the skull may be disrupted.

Treatment

If the factors that provoked bruxism were teething, colds or weaning, no special measures There is no need to take any measures against grinding your teeth in your sleep. Everything will return to normal as soon as the illness or discomfort passes, and during weaning, as soon as the baby gets used to the changes. Consultation with a neurologist and treatment is only necessary in a situation where bruxism severely disturbs general state crumbs and lasts longer than a month.

In case of bruxism caused by sleep disorders, it is advised to take the child to a somnologist, and in situations where grinding appears due to psychological problems, it is important to identify these problems and correct them. A neurologist can prescribe valerian, glycine, aromatherapy, sedative herbal teas, and vitamin complexes to the baby.

The child will be advised to engage in quiet activities (reading, drawing, Interesting games) and sports, walk more in the fresh air, take a warm bath in the evening with herbal infusions and do a relaxing massage. If there are problems with chewing, it will be recommended to add solid foods to the baby’s diet that the child will be forced to chew, for example, carrots.

If the causes of grinding during sleep are related to dentistry, the child should visit a doctor who will recommend:

Place mouth guards on teeth. This is the name given to special linings that prevent the enamel from being abraded by grinding.
Use teethers if problems arise during teething.
Treat your gums with an anesthetic gel and rinse your mouth herbal decoctions if your gums are inflamed.

Teeth grinding goes away on its own over time, but if it is quite pronounced and alarms parents, then it is better to consult a pediatrician for advice.

Why does a child grind his teeth?

Bruxism can occur both in healthy children and in children with certain pathologies or developmental defects. Most often, a child grinds his teeth for the following reasons:

In the population, the phenomenon of bruxism is observed in 50% of children. For the vast majority, it does not cause problems and goes away on its own. In these children, episodes of teeth grinding at night last no more than 10 seconds. If a child’s teeth grinding during the day or during sleep lasts more than 10 seconds and is intense, then there is a risk of damage to the teeth and surrounding soft tissues.

Severe attacks of teeth grinding during sleep cause the child to wake up in the morning with a headache, toothache, or even unpleasant sensations V facial area. The phenomenon is quite dangerous if it continues for several months or years. When a child grinds his teeth, the pressure on hard fabric causes significant wear and tear, and the joints connecting the lower jaw with skull bones.

Early wear of dental dentin leads to the development of caries or tooth sensitivity. TO possible pathologies refers to acute or chronic form inflammatory processes V oral cavity and improper dental growth.

What to do if a child grinds his teeth?

Parents should know that if a child grinds his teeth occasionally for no more than 10-20 seconds, then most likely this is not a reason to panic. Rare bruxism phenomena are usually associated with emotional overload How negative emotions, and positive impressions. For most children who do not have problems with bite, teeth grinding goes away without a trace by school age.

In the event that parents note grinding of teeth in different time day and night and different situations, this should be a reason to consult a doctor.

Often the reason why children grind their teeth during the day and in the middle of the night is due to pathologies in the structure of the maxillofacial part of the skull or malocclusion. Reveal possible problems An examination by an orthodontist will help. To prevent dental problems, your doctor may recommend custom-made mouthguards or protective overlays for your teeth.

Neurotic problems are identified by a neurologist. In this case, bruxism is treated with medicinal sedatives, aromatherapy and special relaxing baths.

Pain associated with teething or discomfort for the child after completion breastfeeding, can be reduced using rubber teethers or gels with anesthetics. Positive on nervous system child reflected moderate physical exercise and regular walks.

With bruxism, the administration of vitamin and mineral complexes often helps. Correct ratio These components help relieve spasms due to lack of necessary substances.

Teeth grinding in a one-year-old child daytime can be corrected by diverting his attention to other activities or conversations.

If teeth grinding occurs only at night, then evening time You should take a long walk in the fresh air, then take a soothing bath. The family should have a calm environment; it is better to postpone the reception of guests and active games to an earlier time.

Pediatricians recommend putting your child to bed one hour earlier, since bruxism is caused by excessive fatigue. Children with similar problems need psychological support from their parents, their attention and warmth, this helps them get rid of fears, discomfort and sleep peacefully all night.