Content
Childhood bruxism is a situation in which the child unconsciously clenches or grits his teeth during the night, which can cause tooth wear, jaw pain or headache on waking, for example, and can happen as a result of situations of stress and anxiety or be due to nasal obstruction.
Treatment for infantile bruxism should be indicated according to the pediatrician and dentist, in which it is usually indicated to use tooth protectors or bite plates tailored to fit the child's teeth, in order to avoid wear .
What to do in case of child bruxism
Treatment for infantile bruxism involves the use of tooth protectors or bite plates that are custom-made for the child, so that it fits on the teeth, and should be used at night, which is usually the time when the child creaks more teeth.
It is important that the child who uses plates or protectors is regularly monitored by the pediatrician or dentist to make adjustments to these accessories, as in some cases it can also cause changes in the development of teeth.
In addition, in the case of bruxism being associated with everyday situations, some strategies can be adopted to help the child relax and, thus, reduce the grinding of teeth during sleep, such as:
- Read a story before bed;
- Listening to relaxing music that the child likes before going to sleep;
- Give the child a warm bath before bed;
- Put drops of lavender essential oil on the pillow;
- Talking to the child, asking what is disturbing him, such as a school test or a discussion with a colleague, trying to find practical solutions to his problems.
In addition, parents should not prolong the child's use of a pacifier or bottle and should offer food to the child so that he can chew them, as the child may grind his teeth at night by not using chewing during the day.
How to identify
To know if it is bruxism, it is important to observe the appearance of some signs and symptoms that may be presented by the child, such as headache or ear on waking, pain on chewing and production of sounds during sleep.
In the presence of these symptoms, it is recommended that the child be taken to the dentist and pediatrician, to be evaluated and the most appropriate treatment initiated, since bruxism can cause a bad position in the teeth, wear of the teeth, problems in the gums and jaw joint or headaches, ear and neck, which can affect the child's quality of life.
Main causes
The grinding of teeth at night has as main causes situations such as stress, anxiety, hyperactivity, nasal obstruction, sleep apnea or being a consequence of the use of medicines. In addition, bruxism can be triggered by dental problems, such as the use of braces or misalignment between the upper and lower teeth, or as a result of inflammation of the ear.
Thus, it is important that the child is evaluated by the pediatrician so that the cause of the grinding of the teeth is identified and, thus, the most appropriate treatment is indicated. In addition, it is also important that the child is accompanied by the dentist so that the development of the teeth is monitored and their wear is avoided.