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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Grinding teeth

17 replies

Manfwood · 01/10/2002 13:55

My ds - 10 months has started grinding his teeth. he has two bottom and two top (not quite all the way through) and i have never heard of this before.

anyone else babies done this and if so how long does it last? is it bad for them?

my dh grinds his teeth sometimes in his sleep so hope it is not hereditary!

Thanks

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Lois · 01/10/2002 14:30

My ds does that too. I'm told they grow out of it. It's just something else to worry about isn't it!

janh · 01/10/2002 14:40

Sorry, Manfwood, it is hereditary!

I do it and 2 of mine do it too - the noise is appalling, especially when they have baby teeth, but it doesn't hurt or wake them and doesn't seem to do any harm. When all their teeth are through and fit together comfortably it should stop (but won't necessarily!)

When you first take ds to the dentist, mention it to him/her, they should be able to reassure you...the only problem I've had is that my jaw sometimes aches in the morning but that's relatively recent.

Original poster

Manfwood · 01/10/2002 15:24

Thats a shame - actually i thought it might be as have heard that my MIL does it as well - just sounds so awful.

Weird though isn't it!

Thanks a lot

OP posts:

Bozza · 01/10/2002 17:13

My DS does this occasionally but the real problem is DH. He has done it ever since DS was born and having trouble sleeping/colic. And he ends up with really bad mouth ulcers nearly all the time (addicted to Bonjela). He has been to the dentist and doctor but no solution although he has had his teeth filed. Try not to be so stressed, basically was the advice.

Sorry no help manf...

jessi · 01/10/2002 17:52

Hi my ds does it occassionaly too, I think he likes the feeling of it. He dosen't do it at night as far as I know. I am a major tooth grinder, Bozza your dh could get referred through his doc/dentist to an orthodontic (sp?!) dept at your local hospital. They take a mould of your bottom set of teeth and I now wear a mouth guard at night. Sounds very alluring I'm sure, but its to stop me getting terrible jaw ache from grinding my teeth!

janh · 01/10/2002 19:04

jessi, I had one of those, it worked beautifully so I stopped using it but now I am waking up with aches again so my dentist said I should be able to continue with the old one (last used it prob. 2 yrs ago) - put it in, bit down and it broke. Oops. Think I should have softened it in warm water first? (Seeing him soon so I can get another - at vast expense!)

Bozza, jessi's right, his own dentist should sort him out (it's quite common) but if not try to get him referred. Even if his is just caused by stress (and it isn't necessarily) there's no reason why he (and you!) should have to put up with it.

I do conscious grinding too - I grind to tunes in my head - please tell me it's not just me!

LIZS · 01/10/2002 19:08

Our 13 month old does it too(12 teeth so far). I mentioned it to our paediatrician in passing last week and apparently there is nothing they do at this stage and it is quite common. However if it subsequently causes a problem to tongue or soft tissue of the mouth then a dentist might recommend a plate.

Awful noise though.

liz S

jessi · 01/10/2002 21:58

Janh, I got mine from my hospital and it didn't cost anything. And when dh thoughtfully threw it away, a replacement was happily made for me!

Willow2 · 01/10/2002 22:22

I've got a mouth piece too - but it just makes me gag. I never remember to wear it and on the few occasions I do I wake up to find it at the bottom of the bed (one time the cat was playing with it - yuk). I am going to get it in the neck for not wearing it from my dentist next time I see him. (He is adamant that I cracked a tooth from grinding and that I will have no teeth left if I don't sort it out. Problem is dh is adamant that I am not grinding my teeth at the moment - says that he would know if I was as the noise is horrendous).

So what do I do. Will things get better if I persevere? Should I use superglue to get the thing to stay in my mouth. Or should I just accept that I am seconds away from dentures?

jessi · 02/10/2002 08:38

Willow2, I find my mouth guard in the oddest places too! I think it just falls out during the course of the night! I only put mine in just as I am about to fall asleep, I reckon even if its only in for half the night thats better than nothing! I'd stick with it if I were you, my friend wore one whole side of her teeth down to little stumps!

Kathleen · 02/10/2002 09:22

I have been diagnosed with acute muscular spasm caused by grinding at night which I wasn't even aware of (dh must be heavy sleeper). It would seem to date back to birth of dd 7 months ago and she was ill at birth therefore I would have been subconciously stressed apparently. I did not seek treatment until the whole of the left side of my face was throbbing and I developed a tic in my left eye. One mouth guard later and voila, I'm cured! Doesn't do much for romance though but with a young baby, I'd forgotten what that was anyway...

XAusted · 02/10/2002 14:19

My dd (6) has ground her two top front teeth down to almost nothing! She used to grind them at night (wonderful when sharing a room with her on visits, etc). However, she has now stopped. Don't know if this is because her teeth are so worn down or if she would have stopped anyway. Dentist not worried yet. At least they're only milk teeth at the mo. Don't think anyone else in the family has done it tho'.

janh · 02/10/2002 14:46

XAusted, my dd1 did that - she had a tiny bit of tooth left at the front and none at all behind, it meant that when she lost them she didn't lisp, because her tongue didn't notice any difference!

For the record, she now (aged 20) has beautiful second teeth and doesn't grind any more.

BTW, I don't know if this is significant but my 2 kids who don't grind both talk in their sleep - instead, apparently!

jessi, we go to a Denplan dentist so have to pay for appliances - possibly could get referred to a hosp but would have to go to Manchester in that case and the logistics would probably mean it would end up costing as much (the last one was £30.) Anyway my dentist says if I bring it in it might be repairable - appt next week.

I know what everybody means about gagging and romance...isn't it comforting to know what a lot of us there are! Willow2, how about a nice scarf tied round your chin (like cartoon toothache?) to keep your mouth closed at night after you put the thing in? That would look even lovelier!

SueDonim · 02/10/2002 17:07

I've had one of those romantic appliances too, for lower mandible pain. I think a new pillow solved the problem, though!

As to teeth grinding, my dd1 used to crunch her way throught the night, awful noise. Her teeth were tiny and by the time she was 5 there was almost nothing left of them. She used to talk in her sleep as well, Janh, and sleep walk - I had a visitation from her just last night, even though she is 15 now!! Good news is, she didn't grind her second teeth.

Bozza, has your DH tried Adcortyl in Orabase for the ulcers? It's much better than Bonjela, though not as cheap. I know it won't solve the grinding problem but might help him through until he can see someone.

star · 15/01/2003 21:29

I've just done a search on this and read all this.My dentist has told me that dd is a teeth grinder and has managed to wear her teeth down.I honestly never knew she did it that much.I thought it was a stress thing so I thought poor little thing it must be school.Does this mean she will always do it is it a habit thing that's heriditary or a stress thing?It's not nice to think she's so tense when she's supposed to be getting rested.

janh · 15/01/2003 21:53

star, it's much more likely to be hereditary than stressy - well, this is not scientific evidence, jasper is your best source for that but based on my experience don't feel bad!

In my experience it's partly heredity and partly "my teeth don't fit together right so I will grind until they do". I have a morning jaw problem, caused by night-time grinding, caused by ill-fitting teeth, and the jaw problem is much less when I am conscious in the daytime that my teeth fit together better - IYSWIM. (Poor fitting caused by crowns/fillings/dentures.)

My DD1 used to grind appallingly with her baby teeth but since she had her adult teeth, which fit v well following years of orthodontics, she doesn't do it at all (I think!)

star · 16/01/2003 09:20

Janh that's very reassuring.I didn't think to ask the dentist about it.I realised it was very common and have always assumed it was a stress thing.My sister used to do it too and she always was a worrier.So maybe dd teeth were just not fitting together too well.She seems so happy and loves school too apart from the odd day when she wants to stay with me.I was surprised to hear she'd ground them down so much.Thanks

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