TODDLER
Why Toddlers Grind Their Teeth & What to Do About It
Keep your tots teeth safe with these suggestions.
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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TODDLER
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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Ugh! Listening to your 2-year-old scraping her upper and lower teeth together can be even more disturbing than hearing fingernails scratch across a chalkboard.
Contrary to the old wives’ tale, tooth grinding is not a sign of intestinal worms. It is just another one of the weird problems that can occur during deep NREM sleep.
Tooth grinding, or bruxism, can start as early as the first birthday and cause sleep disruption, tooth wear (even fractures), and jaw pain. It can be provoked by consuming caffeine-containing food and drinks (chocolate, tea, cola, etc.) or by pain from an ear infection or teething). Another cause is when your child's teeth are not lined up right, known as malocclusion.
If you or your partner grind your teeth, it is more likely your child will, too. And it is especially common among kids with obvious neurological disorders, like cerebral palsy.
Do not fret...tooth grinding does not mean that your baby is having a nightmare. However, stress and anxiety can cause tooth grinding in babies to increase.
Most tooth grinding happens during sleep, but babies grinding their teeth while awake is also quite common!
Most kids outgrow tooth grinding by the teen years. In the meantime, stress-reducing bedtime routines can reduce the problem. Use white noise, loveys, storybooks, lullabies, lavender, and bedtime sweet talk to help your child drift off easily. A dummy is fine at this stage, too.
[Read more: How to Get Baby to Take a Dummy]
Because most tooth grinding stops before kids lose all of their baby teeth, it is unlikely to damage the teeth. However, if you are worried, talk to your child's dentist and mention it to your healthcare provider. Sometimes dentists prescribe mouth guards to protect kids' teeth. If the tooth grinding is a result of teething or an ear infection, your healthcare provider may recommend ibuprofen or acetaminophen thirty minutes before bed (it takes a little time to work).
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, mothers eat a healthy, balanced diet. Combined breast- and bottle-feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of a mother's breastmilk and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. If you do decide to use infant formula, you should follow instructions carefully.
