Teeth grinding (bruxism) is fairly common in young children. Three out of ten children grind or gnash their teeth before age 5 and stop before age 6. This happens because of teething or improper tooth alignment. If your child is still grinding after age 6 and is complaining of a sore jaw you may want to call your dentist to see if it is affecting his/her teeth. The dentist may fit your child for a mouth guard to protect the surfaces of the teeth. Grinding may be caused by stress. Try to look for any sources of stress your child may be experiencing and encourage a relaxing pre-bedtime routine.
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