“The diagnosis of bruxism can be given by multiple causes, predominantly the psychological factor, therefore, it will be very useful to ask parents some questions to know what the routine of their children is and thus be able to identify the specific reason,” says Dr. Iris Silva, pediatric dentist at our clinic.

What is child bruxism?

It is a repetitive and involuntary activity of the chewing muscles, characterized by clenching or grinding the teeth when striking and swinging the jaw. It can occur during the day or at night.

Some of its causes can be:

Anxiety and stress, poor position of the teeth, incomplete teething process (teeth to grow, loss of milk teeth), development of the face, nutritional or vitamin deficiencies, among others.

Symptoms or signs that may occur:

• Intense noises with the teeth, causing their wear
• Discomfort during chewing and limitation of opening the mouth
• Jaw and chewing muscle pain
• Headache or ear pain
• Sleep disturbances
• Sensitivity of teeth to cold, heat and sweet foods

Which is the treatment?

If bruxism responds to a psychological factor, the support of a child psychologist will be required to attend to the child’s emotional health. Occlusal devices may be indicated to protect teeth during sleep. If excessive tooth wear is found, restorations must be made.

Recommendations for parents

It is important to evaluate the degree of socialization, adaptability, school performance, quality of sleep and poor oral habits in children. In this way, a multidisciplinary therapy can be established between the pediatrician, dentist, psychologist and speech therapist, in order to prevent our children from continuing with bruxism.

Dr. Iris Silva
Pediatric dentist at Clínica Ricardo Palma