Does your child grind her teeth at night? Then you need to read this

Not giving her candies isn't sufficient enough to stop this. Bruxism could be a call for help too.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: March 21, 2017 10:23 am

Teeth grinding or bruxism in kids is very common. It happens to most of them and is a cause of concern for parents. This happens during sleep and is an involuntary action. Many paediatricians and childcare professionals believe that high intake of sugar and worms might be a cause for the same. When my daughter started grinding her teeth during sleep some elders in the family said that I should stop giving sweets to her, which I did. But soon I saw the episodes kept on repeating on certain nights. A close observation lead to a stunning revelation my daughter ground her teeth in sleep only the nights she went to bed stressed, unhappy and in tears the days when I scolded her for some of her mischievousness or to control her sudden tantrum outbursts. This made me take a deeper look into the matter. Here are seven things your dentist wants you to know about oral health. Also Read - 5 Reasons Why Self-Love Is Important For Your Mental Health

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To begin with, I always knew bruxism isn t an oral problem or anything related to the intestine. It has a deep psychological connection. However, constant teeth grinding at night could be detrimental to a child s oral health too. Many people suffer from bruxism and grind their teeth during their sleep at night. This continuous grinding can eventually remove critical portions of healthy enamel from the chewing surfaces of the teeth and may cause facial pain, explains Dr Karishma Jaradi, aesthetic dentist, Dentzz Dental Care, Mumbai. In kids, eroded enamel could also set the stage for cavities and carries. Here are 10 foods that can prevent dental cavities in kids.

However, the causes of bruxism vary from one to other. Some of the causes of bruxism are as follows:

Daytime stress
Eye strain
Sinus infections
Exertion
Caffeine withdrawal
Changes in the weather
Adjusting to new eyeglasses
Constant use of headbands
Hormonal changes

Bruxism usually affects people with some underlying nervous tension or disturbance. Anger, pain and frustration can trigger a bout of clenching and grind in the night, points out Dr Jaradi. Here, I have to admit that I lose temper on my child at the drop of the hat. Stress, tension, postpartum strains I am not able to pinpoint a single cause that leads to this volatile temper which I unload on her at the slightest of her mistakes. To take control of the situation I started with a soothing night time routine. No matter how much I scold her (a habit I am trying to control from my end too), before bedtime, I cajole her, comfort her and hug her. This works, because once kids know that they are loved and safe, sleep becomes a comfortable and relaxed activity. Here are seven ways to handle your child s temper tantrum.

What you should do

But, if your kid is suffering from this habit, don t take it lightly. In my case, controlling my own temper and cajoling helped. It would not be the same with others. Nocturnal grinding could be a sign that your child needs help, probably fear, anger, bullying or even sexual abuse could be a cause of the same. So if your cajoling and patting her back is not giving her a relaxed sleep. Take the next step, go to a child counsellor, your dentist to check for any damages, talk to her to know if she is in any stress. Bottom line: don t sleep on it.

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Published : March 17, 2017 5:24 pm | Updated:March 21, 2017 10:23 am

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