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Have a question for Dr. Bill or Martha?
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Dr. Bill and Martha Answer:
My child grinds his teeth. Should I be concerned? Answer: You are right in that most tooth grinding is not related to stress. Happy, well-adjusted children grind their teeth. One hidden cause of tooth grinding is environmental allergies that cause plugging of the eustachian tube and fluid behind the middle ear. In moving their jaws, infants are trying to pop open their eustachian tube to relieve pressure in the middle ear. The most common environmental allergy for infants is dust from nearby fuzzy animals and bed clothing. Try these techniques. Relax your child before bedtime by lying down with her and parenting her off to sleep. To reduce a subconscious sleep separation anxiety, sleep close to her, perhaps allowing her to sleep in your bed as a test. If she grinds her teeth less when sleeping next to you, that is your answer. It's also a good time for a dental checkup. If the teeth grinding is not wearing down the enamel on her teeth, then you don't need to worry about treatment. If it is, try moving her bed into your room or letting her sleep on a toddler mattress at the foot of your bed. If it is causing severe dental erosion, your dentist may want to fit her for a dental appliance worn at night, which protects the teeth from damage. |
