Dental Advice

I don't think it's a big deal. My nine month old went through a phase where she was grinding her teeth for about a week and then stopped. Every once in a while she'll do it again, but it hasn't become a habit. I think they just like making new noises and sensations. Everyone I consulted when she started doing it said it wasn't a problem unless she was doing it all the time for months. I had to practice not reacting when she did it, because the noise was like nails on a chalkboard to me! When she'd see me react, she'd laugh and do it again!

At this age, there is nothing that a dentist can do about it. It is normal. When you see him doing it, maybe give him a teether or something to chew on since it seems that teething is the reason he is doing it. My kids loved an ice cube in a washclothe at that age that they could knaw on.

I don't know about him grinding his teeth, but I do recommend you take your son to the dentist at a young age, about 2. My kids got used to going there, sat in the chairs, had their teeth counted, played with Mr Thirsty. They had such a good time once when they and their hygienist and the dentist were laughing so much, I'm not sure what the people in the waiting room thought.

But, when my daughter accidently broke her two front teeth, she felt comfortable at the dentists, and trusted him. He knew her and what to say and do. It was a traumatic experience, but not the horror would have been if she hadn't had that long standing relationship with the dentist.

I have a set of twins of one of the girls started grinding her teeth at a very early age. When I started taking them to the dentist, I asked him about her grinding her teeth and if there is anything to do or if it would harm her teeth. He said, that because of her age, there was really nothing to be done and that she would out-grow this. She hasn't been grinding as much, and this has been a couple of years ago, so, your son will outgrow this. Just be patient.

My daughter has ground her teeth every since they started coming in. She doesn't do it constantly, but from time to time, I hear her doing it. I hate the sound!! Just this morning, she was doing it again and she's 18 months old and it's not like she got any new teeth lately. I think maybe it's just a phase and a new feeling in their mouth. I am not concerned about it. However, I used to grind my teeth in my sleep so if she starts that, I will take her to a dentist.

my advice is, provide him with lots of appropriate and safe things to chew on! my son went through a stage about this time where he just chewed on everything - it wasn't when he was a baby teething the first couple times, but when he was getting over halfway done, that he started it. all his sippy cups were ruined. lots of chew toys (kiddie ones lol), and frozen pops are good too, like the pop ice ones, my son LOVES those. good luck!

My daughter just had a short phase of doing this...lasted about a month...stopped on her own. I think it was something new she discovered she could do and explored it for a while. At first, she would get a reaction from me, (it sounded a bit horrifying; like she was going to break them!) but then I realized she liked getting that response, so I ignored it. The grinding didn't last long after that.
lb

I actually asked my dentist about this yesterday while I was at her office. My daughter grinds her teeth and it aggravates the tar out of me. She told me that nothing can really be done about infants and toddlers grinding their teeth, and to not worry because they are just baby teeth. My daughter just turned 3 and she has her first visit with the dentist Monday and the dentist said that she will look at her then, but that she wasn't worried about it now. However, she did also say that if they continue to grind their teeth when they get their adult teeth, then she would start to be concerned and would fit her with a guard to wear at night while she sleeps. One other thing that the dentist said was that even if your baby grinds their teeth all day, they don't grind them down quickly and by the time they would expose the nerves, it wouldn't hurt them, at least not what you would think, because it was a slow and gradual process. I hope this helps!

Rediresct him into another activity when you notice him doing it,offer him a toy he may chew on

My son did do this during his teething, but does not do it normally. I would continue to watch him and if it becomes a constant thing then I think I would contact a dentist. If he is doing it in his sleep then you may just have a grinder on your hands. I have done this in my sleep for many years and I have to wear a tooth guard at night to protect my teeth. Honestly, if you are really concerned about it contact a dentist and they will tell you what you need to watch for. Goodluck! :)

My husband is a general dentist, and we have a 21 month old girl who occasionally grinds. My husband told me that basically there is nothing that a dentist can do for children this age because they can't wear a night guard. He believes that this is a natural part of teething, and yes, it makes them feel better. Your son will probably stop it once teething is over. BTW, those "fangs" as you call them are actually called canines in the dental biz.

Hey S.,

First of all, don't worry. Most kids grind their teeth. When both of my kids did that, I would just put my finger in their mouth and rub the gums and teeth. (be careful though!!) Also, something I used for teething that helped my son is, Hyland's Teething Tablets. I would've used it on my daughter, but I didn't know about it then. It's great because it's "100% natural, no side effects and soft tablets that dissolve instantly." The website on the back of the box is, www.hylandsteething.com .

Good luck! ls

Hi S.!

I would find a good dentist who specializes in pediatrics. I have 3 kids, and we found a great pediatric dentist; unfortunately found him when my oldest, who was 5 at the time, had some problems...our regular dentist just shrugged off her problems, and we luckily found this pediatric guy through an acquaintance, and he fixed everything!

Anyway, I asked him back then when should children start getting their teeth checked, and he said as soon as the first one comes in! Our pediatric dentist is very proactive! (I was always told they really didn't need looked at until they were around 3. - That's what our regular dentist told me). I don't really know what to tell you about grinding, but all 3 of my kids did some of that and it didn't seem to hurt them or damage anything.

I just wanted you to know that there are denstists who specialize in pediatrics; I never knew that before. I just figured all dentists treated all people of all ages. Our pediatric dentist had something like an extra 8 years of training; he really knows what he is doing! I am confident our kids will have great teeth, just with the education and information he has given us to help manage at home. So far, our 4 year old (the youngest) has had very few issues.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!
J.

He'll stop. Just ignore it, and it will stop soon.