4 Year Old Grinds Teeth!

I've been told that kids with allergies grind their teeth. Control the allergies and the grinding may decrease or stop. good luck.

My 3 year old does the same. He wakes me up at night with how loud he grinds his teeth. We saw the dentist back in August and she said that it is normal and healthy for small kids-not for adults. It has to do with their permanent teeth forming. I even asked my friend who is a hygentist, and she confirmed. Hope this helps.

I'm a registered dental assistant in a family practice with 20yrs experience. Almost all kids grind their teeth. They loose all twenty baby teeth, starting at around 5 years old and should finish around 12 years old or so. At 6 years and 12 years old their permanent molars erupt behind the baby teeth. Once all of their teeth have shed and errupted, they usually stop grinding. Nightguards are fantastic for adults, but for a child they'd have to be remade every couple of months at a cost of $300-400, . The nightguard "kits" they sell at walmart are only for adults with all teeth completely errupted - don't try this on a child. They could choke on it at night, and it would work similar to a orthodontic retainer and could effect the erruption process of the permanent teeth

I was a "grinder" as a child and this continued up until the time I was 37 years old. The enamel on my teeth has been damaged and for five years I wore a mouth guard to "fix" the problem. In the end all it did was shift my teeth and now I have to pay $5000 for Invisalign to correct the problem.

I study holistic healing modalities and the root cause of teeth grinding is unresolved emotional trauma. When we are children and are involved in a negative situation in which we do not know how to respond or feel out of control the memory gets stored within our subconscious mind. When your daughter is grinding her teeth in her sleep her subconscious mind is active and that negative memory is playing back over and over. Visit www.commandingwealth.com and click on "Theta Healing" at the top to learn more about this emotional-releasing process. It is painless, no insurance is involved and it's affordable. I've been through the process eight times and I experience no more grinding or jaw pain! There is another emotional healing avenue out there for children. Visit www.courseinlight.net for more details and e-mail the instructor with any questions. I hope this helps you!

My son also grinds his teeth. His denist said that he would out grow it when he got his permant teeth in. His teeth were completly flat. Well he is 10 now, and still has not stopped. We purchase a mouth guard at walmart like the football players wear. He wears it at night. It took a couple of nights to get adjusted to it. He still grinds his teeth, but the wear and tear is now on the guard. He made a hole in the guard after the first night. But after that it seems his grinding has gotten better, and he says he sleeps better. Hope this helps.

Hi!

My daughter did the same thing at about the same age. I asked our dentist about it and he said the same thing - that she would stop and it would be ok. She did! He also suggested not making a big deal about around her because that would only make it worse. She is about to be 6 now and hasn't done that in a long time.

B.

As a Dental Hygienist working elusively in pediatrics, I can tell you that grinding is normal - most children outgrow it. There is nothing that can be done about it, because, think about it logically - do you really think a little child would tolerate wearing a night guard? And even if a child could tolerate it (which they wouldn't) are you willing to pay $200 every 2 or 3 months to get a new one each time they have a growth spurt, or get new teeth? That is what would be required because a night guard would not fit a child for very long.

And don't think that just because a child grinds now that they will their whole life - most outgrow it. And yes, we see a lot of children with teeth that are very worn - but sometimes that's just how it has to be. So hang in there.

I wish I had advise for you but I was told the same thing about my son by his dentist.. He said he would just stop.. He turns 10 on the 25th and has not stopped or gotten any better. In fact he just lost one of his back teeth so I got to inspect and see up close how much damage he had been doing over the years... The tooth was completely FLAT!!!! You can feel your back teeth with your finger or tongue and feel that there is definitely a dip or indention. He had none!!! It was flat all the way across from all the grinding. I too am worried about future problems it is going to cause and about the outcome of the grinding to his now adult teeth. Please let me know if you find a solution. Best of luck!

Hi R.,
My son grinded his teeth badly, like you are describing, when he was eight and nine years old. Now that he's ten, I don't notice it at all anymore. Apparently it has gone away on its own.
My dentist also didn't recommend anything, which did not help my confidence in him, but he was right; it went away on its own.
Leanne

We had the same problem with our son (now he's six). He doesn't do it anymore.... Our dentist told us the same thing. He said kids do it all the time and they outgrow it. So, we didn't worry about it and now he has stopped.
Our dentist is a family friend too and had been a dentist FOREVER....so, I'm guessing he knows what he's talking about.
It's hard though, isn't it? And, amazing how loud teeth grinding can be....

Your dentist knows. Trust him/her. My 7 yr old grinds too...loudly, just like you mentioned. I want to get him a mouthpiece (think Wal-Mart has them) for when we travel. I keep forgetting but it can be disturbing when we're all together in a hotel room...or if he and his brother have to share a room for any reason. But, longrun...I'm not worrying about it until he has all his permanent teeth. Think the dentist will give him a custom-fit mouthpiece if he's still grinding then. Not to worry!

Maybe it is normal because my four year old son grinds his teeth also but its when he's awake. I'm always telling him to quit grinding his teeth. It drives me nuts.

My daughter who is 10 did the same up until she started losing some of her baby and getting adult teeth. Her dentists said the same thing about not worrying but some more advice was given...Cut back on sweets especially at night. Juices are also no no. I actually did an experiment to see if what the dentist said was true and to my surprise it was...My daughter grinded her teeth from about age 3 1/2 until 8 1/2. It was the worst noise.

My 6 year old daughter grinds her teeth as well. I can see the effects on her baby teeth. I guess I'm lucky it is only her baby teeth that are being ground down. Our dentist also said it was very normal and usually stops around age 4 to 6. There is the option of using a mouth guard while they sleep. The draw back is the choking hazzard if it falls out of place at such a young age. He didn't recommend the guard at her age but I do plan on addressing the issue again if the problem continues after her permanent teeth start coming in.

Good luck.

I am a hygienist and come across this issue quite a bit. For children, this is very common and somewhat normal. Since your daughter is 4, she won't be losing any of her baby teeth for another year to even possibly 3 years. If she continues grinding as she is losing her baby teeth, you will notice that the teeth can be worn down and appear flat. Children usually outgrow this, but if not and she has all her permanent teeth in, then you should address this issue. Continual grinding isn't good on our adult teeth since these are the only teeth we will have left after we lose the baby teeth. Nightguards are great at preventing any wear or if she starts having jaw discomfort or even headaches, they are great at correcting those problems too. Don't be too concerned, as you have read that a lot of mothers that posted have also had the same concerns and most dentists will tell you not to worry about it right now. Solution: just wear some ear plugs for the time being:)

My 4 year old does same ting and our pedi dentist told me not to worry something about how their nose and throat are formed and grinding helps them breathe better. My pediatrican said that if he does it past 5 or 6 to take him to an ear/nose/throat doctor for a second opinion.

Not to worry, it is totally normal at this age. My son is 6 and has been doing it for a couple years, it has certainly worn down his teeth to little nubs, but since they are baby teeth for the most part, the dentist is not concerned. Once they have a mouthful of permanent teeth, if your child is still doing it, then maybe the dentist would do something, but most children will stop the older they get.

Hi R.!
I believe that grinding teeth could bea paraste problem. I did gave my daughter herbal formula to get rid of parasites. I check how she sleeps during the nights. If she is moving a lot on her bad I know that I do parasite cleanse. I did gave her parasite formula from "Enrich". It has good taste. Right now I do parasite clean up program for both of us twice a year using Warm Dr. @ http://www.zoneofnaturalremedies.com/content-product_info... .

You could read few books about parasites and you'll be amazed with the information.

BOOK
Guess What Came to Dinner?: Parasites and Your Health by Ann Louise Gittleman (Paperback - 19 Aug 2001)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
What you don't know could make you sick - or worse, 1 Feb 2005
By Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews

Ann Louise Gittleman is doing all she can to raise awareness of the danger of parasites in our lives; it is, she argues, a silent epidemic. We've all heard of outbreaks of E. coli and the like, but such disturbing stories quickly fade away from the public consciousness. Most people don't want to think about all the really nasty things that might be oozing their way throughout their bodies. Gittleman clearly makes the case, however, that parasites are a growing danger, and the fact that many medical professionals aren't especially knowledgeable about the subject only exacerbates the problem. Few medical students take a single course on parasitology, she says, because such courses are usually found under tropical diseases - and we in the United States still tend to think that parasites only affect the lives of those in impoverished and/or tropical nations. Gittleman's objective in writing this book (now available in this revised version) is to educate everyone, layman and medical professional alike, on the extent of the parasite threat. By doing so, she is able to offer advice and guidance on protecting yourself from the myriad of invisible threats parasites pose.
First, Gittleman lays out a strong case for the greatly increased prevalence of parasites in today's America, pointing to a number of factors such as the great increase in international travel, the contamination of water supplies, the increased use of antibiotics, the ever-growing use of day-care centers (which one expert dubbed the open sewers of the 20th century), and the dramatic number of household pets interacting with men, women, and especially children. She then describes some of the symptoms of the different kinds of parasitic conditions. In many cases, she says, these symptoms closely mirror the symptoms of other diseases and usually go undiscovered - thus, you have patients continuing to suffer with afflictions while being treated for conditions they may not even have. Gittleman's guide to parasites provides summary details (albeit somewhat technical ones) about all of the varying types of parasites - fluke worms, tapeworms, assorted amoebae, and a number of dastardly little critters I had never heard of. She provides information designed to help you determine whether you might have a parasite yourself (relying significantly on lifestyle history), discusses the most modern testing methods out there, and discusses treatment options. If you exhibit symptoms that do not go away and have your physician somewhat baffled, she encourages you to consider the possibility of a parasite and discuss it with your doctor. I was amazed to learn that parasites can basically settle in all over your body, not just in your gastrointestinal tract.

The most important part of the book, though, has to do with prevention and protection. With parasites so prevalent in our daily lives, it is important to build up our resistance to them. Gittleman goes into detail about the problems inherent in water and food preparation (especially undercooking), the risks posed by even the most beloved of pets (the next time your four-legged best friend gives you some sugar, you could possibly end up swallowing egg-carrying fleas), and the health risks surrounding young children. As you might suspect, activities such as eating dirt and moving your hands back and forth between your backside and your mouth are not conducive to good, pesticide-free health (it's amazing that so many of us actually survive long enough to grow up given the general nastiness that defines babyhood and early childhood).

The book does get slightly technical from time to time, and Gittleman does engage in the art of redundancy occasionally, but this is certainly a valuable and effective book. It makes you think about a danger you have probably never contemplated before, explodes the myth that parasites only cause problems in Third World countries, and helps you take steps to better protect you and your loved ones from the pain and suffering parasites are more than capable on inflicting upon you.

Hi, Its kind of common but its not healthy. Many things can cause it and it can also cause other problems. its not good for the teeth, it can make it easier for cavities to develop and it can cause jaw problems and terrible headaches.
If it is that severe then I would for sure get a second oppinion from a pediactric dentist.

Good luck
A. J

My dentist said it was normal too. Dr. Morgan in Richardson.

I have been in the dentistry field for over 27 years. And the dentist did tell you the truth about your 4 year old. They
grind and will continue to grind till she gets her permanent teeth and her bite is more secure. Tips of advice too that may help is Avoid sweets after 7pm, no scarey thoughts or dreams. Children are so fragile at times she may also be nervous about something. However, you loving her, singing to her, praying with her is the best medicine before she goes to bed. Take care & May God Bless you & your family.

My 6 y.o. does this too and has been as long as I can remember. I think the clinical term is "bruxism". Look it up and maybe you can decide for yourself. I was also told to ignore it. B.

My daughter grinded her teeth also and since I have TMJ (jaw joint) I was concerned that she had it also. I talked to my dentist and her pediatrician and they both said it was very normal for growing children to grind their teeth. It helps the jaw to grow, believe it or not.... Hope this helps!

Good morning R.:
This is a subject that I am very well versed in as I am a grinder myself. I just celebrated my 39th this past Saturday and ever since I can remember, I have ground my teeth. When I lived at home I would wake my mom up with my tooth grinding, as you said with your daughter it is so loud! Growing up I never wore a mouth guard but the last decade or so I have. For me this is a problem that has NEVER gone away. My father grinds his teeth also and wears a special made mouth quard made at the dentist. I on the other hand do wear a mouth guard that works very well that I buy at Walmart. It is called "Drs' Mouthguard". They can be found in the tootbrush isle near the phamacy and work wonderful! I disagree with your dentist strongly! I hope she does outqrow it and that is possible but in the meantime it is damaging her teeth. The good thing there is she will lose those teeth eventually yes, but there is a strong possiblity she will not "Outgrow" the problem. This past April I was eating breakfast one morning and low and behold I broke a tooth! Prior to discovering the doctors mough guard I had not been wearing any protection for quite a few years and by doing so my back teeth are in bad shape because of the grinding. That tooth I broke, ended up having a root canal and a cap put on. Not fun! I would definitely look into a mouth guard for her for now as it doesn't hurt to take preventative measures now. In the meantime hopefully she will grow out of it.

Sincerely,
A. Case
safenhappyhome.com

Hello R.,
My youngest daughter did the same thing when she was little. I was worried just like you, but it is normal. She grew out of it and believe me it was loud and it bother me especially when she was asleep in my arm. My daugther is now 11 and doesn't do it any more. Those baby teeth will fall out and new ones will come out. My daughter never had any problem. She is fine. Your daughter will be fine too. Take care and enjoy your daughter. B.

My son grinds his teeth and he is 6 1/2 years old. His front teeth are almost down to a nub but will be losing those soon. All of his molars have crowns on them due to the grinding. He got cavities in almost all of his teeth. He will lose all of those teeth and get permanent teeth in. You lose the molars as well. We cannot get my son to stop grinding his teeth but as he got older it got a lot better. He does not grind as much. He ground them less after we got the crowns put on his molars. Good luck.

My son has always done this and apparently so did his father as a child (he doesn't now). We've talked to both his dentist and his doctor and neither were concerned about it. I would think if it was allergy related, it would be worse when he's having allergy problems, and it's not. Besides, I can't get rid of all the ragweed! Since it doesn't seem to matter what we do, and everyone has said it's fine, I'm not worrying about it. I figure there are lots of other things to worry about, I'll let this one go!

R., My almost 8 year old does the same thing! His sounds like grinding metal it's so loud! I also asked our dentist about it (whom I really like and trust) and I was told the same thing... it's normal.. it's their teeth trying to find a comfortable setting and doesn't hurt anything right now. I will watch your responses to see if anyone has heard anything to dispute that!
K.

My son grinds his teeth too. He is 8. Our dentist said to not worry about it now, becuase they are baby teeth and will fall out. He just may grow out of it when the big teeth start coming in. He said they can put a teeth guard on him when his big teeth come in but it is not recommended for really young ones. Just be patient and enjoy your 4yr old!

I am in my early 50's and I still grind my teeth. There are many reasons from stress to parasites to whatever! You need to be pro-active as you daughter may or may not grow out of it. I have heard dentists say many things over the years that were not true, just saying what the ADA says and remember they used to tell you mercury in your mouth was safe!!!! You know what is best for your daughter no matter what the dentist says, become informed and do it.

My daughter also did this and ground her front teeth down to almost nothing. She has now lost those teeth and she still does it. I heard the same thing from our dentist. Hopefully he is right when he says she will grow out of it. Otherwise she won't have her front teeth at this rate.

it is common in young kids, but if it is really bad you may want to just seek another opinion. they lose all of their teeth, & get new adult teeth. so they may not be worried until they get in adult teeth, but if it keeps going on i would seek help bc if it is a habit it will be hard to break just bc they have gotten adult teeth. mostly though i think they just use a kind of plastic retainer (much like you can find in walmart for martial arts & such) that just blocks them from grinding tooth on tooth. but at this young age it would be hard to have them wear one.

Well it's not a good habit, and you and your dentist can do something about it. I know she's a little young, but she might be able to get a cast done to get her a night guard. There are some places to get them over the counter (in the sport section of a grocery store, or Wal-mart), but it will take a lot of alterations on your part.

She could chip her teeth, and wear them down. It also will make her jaw sore, and lead to head aches. So, maybe you should get a 2nd opinion.

My 5 year old has done it for a long time and the dentist said it was normal.

I can't really say it's "Normal" but it does happen. You are not alone. I do it. Both my daughters do it and so does my sister and her 3 daughters and my mother and her mother...and every other woman on my mom's side. Weird, I know.
Quite simply...it's stress. Any and every bit of stress will set it off we've noticed, especially if we tend to keep things to ourselves. My husband has lost many nights of sleep because of it! The only thing you can do for now is deal with it because she is too young to understand why she would have to wear a bite plate.
FYI: the ones in the supermarket are horrible and uncomfortable and some you have to heat and bite hard to form to your mouth and then you drool all over yourself. Eeewwww!
Your dentist should be able to recommend something. Most dentists can fit you with one but...she's only 4 so you'd be wasting your money. My 7y/o quit grinding about 2yrs ago so it may go away for your daughter.
I will hold onto this note and if I find the ad I found awhile back for the Really good bite palte, I will forward it on to you.
Good luck. Invest in ear plugs for now. :)