Toddler Grinding Teeth! - Shirley,MA

Our dentist said this is totally normal when our son started grinding his teeth but he was older - 5 year old - and his teeth were starting to loosen so that is normal. Although the Dentist said it was OK, because the baby teeth would come out soon anyway, we opted to get him one of those mouth plates that he wears when he goes to bed and he doesn't do it any more - he never did it awake. His teeth were really being grinded down so it was visable and I was nervous the new adult teeth would be harmed. Your DD is young and it could just be a way of releasing stress, the problem is, if done for a long time it can cause TMJ which is painful. If she is doing while awake, I would suggest not making a big deal of it - so she doesn't do it for attention, try diverting her attention to something else - playing a game or something relaxing, maybe even give her a sugar-free lolipop so she can't grind. If it's while she is asleep, maybe talk to your dentist - I think she is too young for a night-gaurd plate but they might have other suggestions. Good luck to you!

It's normal. Annoying, I know, but she'll grow out of it.

One of my herbal mentors suggested that grinding teeth is the body's attempt to acquire extra calcium. Perhaps she's under extra stress right now (going through a growth spurt?) Make sure she's getting extra calcium, D3 and magnesium. A healthy dose of B complex may stop it as well. While this is probably a phase right now, she'll likely grind her teeth off and on throughout her life.

My son also does this, started about 18 months and still does it. A few weeks ago we all had the flu and he slept in bed with me during the day, the grinding was HORRIBLE! I asked our dentist about it and he said it's just something that some kids go through, and in most cases it's harmless and they grow out of it. He actually shuddered and told me his daughter did it too at that age.

As she grows older, I'm guessing that if you take her to the dentist regularly they will easily catch it if it becomes one of the rare cases that is a problem.

Yes, my son (3 in Dec.) would do this, and it was probably around the age your daughter is at now. It was so creepy! He would do it until his teeth would make creeking noises that would give me goosebumps! I hate remembering it! He did just grow out of it, fairly quickly, too, my guess would be that once I learned to totally not react to it, he probably figured out that it didn't feel too great and cut it out!