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General health

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Original poster

Teeth Grinding (((shudder)))

21 replies

AvaLou · 08/09/2006 11:31

Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop my DD doing this? It is her new 'trick' and it really makes me shudder everytime I hear it.
Also is it possible she could end up chipping a tooth with it as she does it really hard?

OP posts:

ilovecaboose · 08/09/2006 11:32

Don't know but sympathy for it - my dp does it and I cannot bear it. He has done it for years though and his teeth are fine.

1Baby1Bump · 08/09/2006 11:33

ds who is one does it. i think i looked it up and it says it doesnt do any harm as long as their teeth are healthy.

Original poster

AvaLou · 08/09/2006 11:34

Thanks. It really grates me, I hope it is just a phase!

OP posts:

Tutter · 08/09/2006 11:37

i had no idea that i do it until my new dentist pointed out my arnold schwarzenegger (sp.?)-like jaw muscles.

apparently very bad for my teeth, but have no idea how to stop.

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:38

It is more annoying than harmful. In adults long term grinding can wear down teeth and cause problems (pain,headaches) particularly in the TMJ (jaw joint). In children it rarely causes any effects. It is unlikely to chip the teeth either. How old is dd? Sometimes when babies teeth erupt so that they have opposing teeth they like to "experiment" with them and go through a period of scraping/grinding them against each other. This generally only lasts a brief period of time. There isn't anything you can do to stop her I'm afraid. In adults a night gaurd can be worn to ease the problem but it isn't prescribed for children unless the problem is severe. HTH

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:39

Tutter didn't he/she recommend you try a hight guard?

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:40

night gaurd even .

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:41

Oops, 3rd time lucky, night guard .

Tutter · 08/09/2006 11:41

he didn't COV, but i'll ask about them next time i see him, thanks

if i watch myslef in the mirror when i clench my teeth, there is an alarming bulge of muscle

am a fairly stressy kind of person, so maybe it just goes with the territory...

Tutter · 08/09/2006 11:42

Original poster

AvaLou · 08/09/2006 11:42

She is 13 months, and has two bottom teeth and five on top. I think you may be right about it just being 'experimenting'.

OP posts:

bogwobbit · 08/09/2006 11:42

AvaLou,

I grind my teeth in my sleep (apparently) and according to my dentist it has almost completely worn down the enamel on my front teeth, with the result that they are basically falling to pieces and need to be reinforced with some kind of dental cement - not very pleasant
Dentist has given me a gumshield to wear over my bottom teeth to wear when I'm asleep, to either (hopefully) break the teeth-grinding habit or if that doesn't happen, at least stop me damaging my teeth when I grind. It's absolutely horrible to wear and I feel like I'm going to gap every time I put it in, but hopefully it will do the trick.
I don't know how old your dd is and whether she does it when she's asleep or awake or if this sort of solution would be necessary for her - but maybe you could speak to your dentist for advice on what would work.

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:47

If she is 13 months I would say she is probably experimenting. Both my 2 did that at a similar age It was so loud I could hear it from the back of the car when I was driving! "Real" grinding generally only starts once they have back teeth.

ComeOVeneer · 08/09/2006 11:49

Quick Hijack, Tutter house is going well (at last). We accepted a (good) offer on ours on Monday (they too are under offer with first time buyers). Our offer has been accepted and the vendors are moving into rented accomodation so it isn't a hideously long chain. We should be moved in about 6 weeks.

joelallie · 08/09/2006 12:25

My DD does this at night. Dentist told us that we must stop her doing it.Er...how? Perhaps we should stand next to her all night and hold her jaws still!! I always thought that it is something that will pass. Hope so.

Vindaloo · 08/09/2006 13:06

My dd who is now 2.6 yrs used to grind her teeth when she first started to get teeth. This last over a period of a year on and off whenever she felt like it. I never noticed any problems with her teeth. I think I just got used to the sound but everyone else couldnt bear the sound. I am sure dd will just growout of it.

Choco · 08/09/2006 13:45

my son also does it in his sleep, i wouldn't call his teeth healthy bc he just filled in 5 tooth cavities

Original poster

AvaLou · 08/09/2006 13:50

Surely cavaties can't happen because of grinding
If so I really hope she grows out of this.

OP posts:

madchad · 09/09/2006 23:43

Avalou,
The grinding won't cause cavities in a 13 month old. That post was by by 'CHOC'!!!!
Could I suggest that you reread comeoveneer's reply (who clearly has a dental qualification)
I noticed the same with DD2 when she was getting a new tooth, and it drove me nuts too, but it will pass.

madchad · 09/09/2006 23:46

Sorry, I meant 'Choco'. Probably no connection with chocolate whatsoever, but the irony made me laugh.

Choco · 10/09/2006 03:54

haha...madchad, choco IS the short form for chocolate!!!!!! i love chocolate!! anyway, i didn't mean to say that grinding is connected to cavities. but i just thought i mentioned it in wondereing if there is a conncetion between healthy teeth and grinding as some of you have mentioned?

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