Bruxism in children

Bruxism in children

Bruxism and its symptoms

Bruxism is an uncontrolled spasm of the muscles of the chewing apparatus, which can last from several seconds to several minutes, accompanied by changes in blood pressure, pulse, and even breathing disorders. This disease can occur both in adults and in children. A spasm occurs due to overexertion of the central nervous system and is expressed in the form of grinding, rubbing, or strong clenching of the teeth. Usually, bruxism manifests itself in preschool age, but there are cases when children grind their teeth at an older age, and this is much more dangerous, because it can negatively
appear on the child’s permanent teeth.

There are two types of bruxism: day and night.
– Daytime bruxism is manifested by the habit of grinding or strongly clenching the teeth in moments of emotional stress.
– Nocturnal bruxism manifests itself in sleep, moreover, with frequent recurrence of attacks. It can be short-term, one-time grinding, as a reaction to stress or emotional overload, or it can be, on the contrary, systematic and very long grinding, in which case it is worth contacting a specialist – a dentist.

Symptoms of bruxism in a child:

Violation of bite;
Abrasion of teeth;
Complaints of the child about headache, and pain in the neck and back;
Restless sleep;
Anxiety and quick fatigue;
Irritability and tearfulness;
Poor appetite and refusal to eat solid foods;

The main causes of bruxism and methods of treatment:

ENT diseases. Enlargement of adenoids, rhinitis, sinusitis, allergies – all this can provoke creaking. Therefore, parents should pay attention to a constantly open mouth and nasal congestion.
Stress. Stress or nervous overload is considered the main cause of bruxism. All the events and experiences experienced during the day find a way out in a dream, when the baby uncontrollably starts grinding his teeth. In preschool age, such a shock for a child can be: separation from mom or dad, the first trip to kindergarten, too active games, or watching cartoons or movies before going to bed, and everything that can change the usual daily routine.
Sleep disturbance. Low-quality sleep can be the cause of teeth grinding in sleep in children. Experts believe that this is a violation, along with somnambulism or incontinence. In any case, the baby’s healthy sleep should be strong and calm.
Bite anomalies. When the bite is formed incorrectly, and this can happen due to the heredity of the structure of the jaw or due to the bad habit of using a dummy after 1.5 years, it affects the distribution of the load on the teeth and jaw muscles. As a result, the child begins to clench his teeth or grind his teeth in his sleep.

Bruxism treatment and prevention

Normally, bruxism lasts up to 7 years, sometimes it lasts until the end of the natural change of milk teeth. If the cause is an incorrect bite, an orthodontist’s consultation with further orthodontic correction of the bite is necessary. If the cause is difficulty breathing, the child may need consultation with an otolaryngologist and treatment for problems that make breathing difficult, such as removal of the adenoids.

If the cause is emotional stress, then it is important to find out what causes stress in the child’s life. Maybe you need a psychologist’s consultation.
Treatment is generally aimed at relieving symptoms as well as protecting the teeth from damage. Therefore, medical interventions are symptomatic, and treatment methods are derived from the causes of bruxism.

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