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Bruxism and kids: When sleeping becomes a grind
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Have you ever walked past your
child’s bedroom on a quiet night
and heard an awful noise? While
some kids are sleeping soundly,
their jaws are hard at work … grind-
ŝŶŐƚĞĞƚŚ͘>Ğƚ͛ƐůŽŽŬĂƚƚŚŝƐĂůŝƩůĞ
closer.
Why does this hap-
pen? We don’t always
know. Research indicates
ƚŚĂƚŚLJƉĞƌĂĐƟǀĞĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ
and kids with certain
ŵĞĚŝĐĂůĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐƐƵĐŚ
as cerebral palsy are
more likely to grind their
teeth. Some doctors say
stress and anxiety also
contribute to grinding
(bruxism).
Kids may grind their
ƚĞĞƚŚǁŚŝůĞĐƵƫŶŐŶĞǁ
teeth, which happens from about
age six months to two years, and
again around age six to twelve
years.
Is it common? Yes. Anywhere
from 30 to 50 percent of kids grind
their teeth at some point during
HEATHER A. BACON, PH.D. &
JENNIFER K. COOPER, PSY.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologists
Helping parents discover new ways to shape
behavior and reconnect with children.
Currently accepting new patients.
Most insurance and private pay accepted.
860 W. Elm Ave., Suite 204, Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-7777 • hermistonpsych.com
childhood; usually while sleeping.
DŽƐƚŬŝĚƐŽƵƚŐƌŽǁƚŚŝƐďLJƚŚĞŝƌ
teens.
Is it harmful?^ŽŵĞƟŵĞƐŬŝĚƐ͛
teeth actually chip and become
ƐŚŽƌƚĞƌĂƐƚŚĞLJŐƌŝŶĚ͘dŚŝƐĐĂŶĂīĞĐƚ
a child’s bite and, in some cases,
the bite may need
to be corrected with
ŽƌƚŚŽĚŽŶƟĐƐ͘^ŽŵĞ
extreme grinders
may need to have
ĮůůŝŶŐƐĚŽŶĞŽƌƌĞ-
placed as they grind
their teeth shorter; in
other cases, a tooth
or two may need a
crown. Don’t forget
that baby molars
ŶĞĞĚƚŽůĂƐƚƵŶƟůĂŐĞ
ten or twelve to save
space for permanent
teeth to come in. It is
important to keep the baby teeth in
ŐŽŽĚĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶ͘
Can this hurt my child’s jaw
muscles or cause headaches? You
ďĞƚ͊ŶLJƟŵĞŵƵƐĐůĞƐĂƌĞĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ-
ed over and over, it can cause sore
muscles. (Imagine doing biceps curls
ĂůůŶŝŐŚƚʹLJŽƵǁŽƵůĚǁĂŬĞƵƉƉƌĞƩLJ
sore.) Sore jaw and facial muscles
from grinding teeth can lead to
headaches and earaches.
dƌLJƚŚŝƐƚŽĮŶĚƚŚĞŵƵƐĐůĞƐ
involved in clenching and grind-
ŝŶŐƚĞĞƚŚ͗ƚĂŬĞLJŽƵƌĮŶŐĞƌƟƉƐĂŶĚ
hold them on the sides of your
face, about 1-2 inches in front of
your ears, and below the jaw joint.
Clench your teeth over and over,
and you should feel the masseter
ŵƵƐĐůĞƐŇĞdž͘EŽǁƚƌLJƚŚŝƐŝŶƚŚĞ
temple area, between where your
eyebrows end and your hairline
ďĞŐŝŶƐ͘dŚĞŵƵƐĐůĞƐŇĞdžƚŚĞƌĞ͕ƚŽŽ͘
If you press those areas, do they
feel tender? If so, you may be grind-
)DPLO\
Health
ing or clenching your teeth in your
sleep, too.
What can be done about it? A
ĐĂůŵŝŶŐƌŽƵƟŶĞďĞĨŽƌĞĂŶĚĂƚďĞĚ-
ƟŵĞŵĂLJŚĞůƉŝŵƉƌŽǀĞƐůĞĞƉĂŶĚ
ƌĞĚƵĐĞŐƌŝŶĚŝŶŐ͘DĂƐƐĂŐĞŚĂƐďĞĞŶ
proven to improve sleep quality, so
LJŽƵĐĂŶŐŝǀĞLJŽƵƌĐŚŝůĚĂůŝƩůĞďĂĐŬ-
ƌƵďĂƚďĞĚƟŵĞ͘ŽŶ͛ƚĨŽƌŐĞƚƚŽĚŽ
a gentle massage for the facial and
ũĂǁŵƵƐĐůĞƐŵĞŶƟŽŶĞĚĂďŽǀĞ͘
What about a nightguard to
protect the teeth? Teens and adults
ĐĂŶǁĞĂƌƉůĂƐƟĐŶŝŐŚƚŐƵĂƌĚƐ;ĂǀĂŝů-
able at the drugstore and custom-
ŵĂĚĞĨƌŽŵLJŽƵƌĚĞŶƚĂůŽĸĐĞͿƚŽ
prevent teeth from being damaged
ǁŚŝůĞŐƌŝŶĚŝŶŐ͘hŶƟůƚŚĞĂŐĞŽĨ
twelve or so, kids are losing their
baby teeth and their permanent
teeth are growing in. This makes it
almost impossible to get a custom-
ŵĂĚĞŶŝŐŚƚŐƵĂƌĚƚŽĮƚĨŽƌǀĞƌLJůŽŶŐ͘
Besides, wearing a nightguard can
be a real choking hazard for a child,
so they are usually not recommend-
ed for younger kids.
Nothing good can come of tooth
grinding, can it? Actually, some
researchers think that jaw bones
grow stronger and wider during the
process of tooth grinding. So it may
help your child develop a nice, wide
smile.
ƐŬLJŽƵƌĚĞŶƟƐƚĂƚLJŽƵƌĐŚŝůĚ͛Ɛ
next checkup if you are concerned
about your child’s tooth grinding.
________
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,LJŐŝĞŶŝƐƚĂƚƌŽĂĚǁĂLJ&ĂŵŝůLJĞŶ-
ƚĂůĂƌĞ;ǁǁǁ͘ďǁĂLJĚĞŶƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͿŝŶ
Milton-Freewater.