It’s 2 a.m., and you hear that crunching or scraping sound coming from your child’s room. It’s your child grinding their teeth in their sleep. It can sound pretty scary. Is it dangerous? Is it a sign of stress? Should you be worried?
Let’s talk about what’s really behind the nighttime grind and what you can do to protect those tiny teeth.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism (pronounced BRUK-siz-um) is the medical term for teeth grinding or jaw clenching. While it can happen during the day (awake bruxism), most kids do it at night during sleep, especially in deep stages when the brain and body are most relaxed.
Bruxism is surprisingly common in kids. Studies estimate that 15% to 40% of children grind their teeth at some point, with the most common age for grinding being between the ages of 5 and 7. For many children, it’s mild and resolves on its own.
Research shows that sleep bruxism in children may be linked to fluctuations in certain chemical messengers in the brain, like dopamine, which plays a role in muscle activity during sleep. This might explain why some children are more prone to grinding during growth spurts or developmental changes.
Teeth grinding is also classified as an involuntary movement that happens during transitions between sleep stages (called a parasomnia). Because it often occurs without full consciousness, many children aren’t aware they do it until someone else hears it or a dentist notices signs during an exam.
Genetics might also play a role. Children are more likely to grind their teeth if one or both parents have a history of bruxism.
What Triggers Teeth Grinding in Children While They Sleep?
Teeth grinding in children usually doesn’t have a simple cause. It can be triggered by a mix of physical, emotional, and developmental factors. Here are a few of the most common:
1. New Teeth Coming In
As baby teeth fall out and adult teeth push through, kids sometimes experience sensations in their mouths that they don’t know how to manage. Grinding can be the body’s way of dealing with this discomfort.
It isn’t necessarily painful, but it might cause an unfamiliar pressure, itchiness, or “tingly” sensations in the jaw or gums as the roots dissolve and new teeth emerge. Since young children often struggle to describe these feelings, bruxism may become a way to self-soothe.
Teething-related grinding often comes in waves. It can flare up when a child hits certain teething milestones, like the adult molars erupting (around six years old and again with the twelve-year molars).
Did you know? Most kids stop grinding once their permanent teeth are fully in and settled, usually between the ages of 9 and 12. If grinding continues beyond this stage, it may mean that your child has a different trigger that will need to be looked at with your dentist.
2. A Misaligned Bite or Jaw
If the upper and lower teeth don’t fit together nicely when the mouth is closed, the muscles may subconsciously try to “fix” that during sleep. This is really common if a child has issues like an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or early crowding.
When the bite alignment is off (even just a little), the jaw muscles can become hyperactive as they try to find a more comfortable resting position. Over time, this repetitive movement can become a habit, often during deep sleep. Children may develop grinding patterns without even realizing it, like shifting their jaw or clenching to achieve better contact between teeth. If left unchecked, this can lead to uneven tooth wear or tension in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
That’s why we, at The Gentle Dentist, might want to take a look at how your child’s teeth and jaws are developing, even if nothing looks “wrong” on the surface. Picking up early bite problems can help us with orthodontic planning and hopefully reduce the need for more complex treatment later on.
3. Stress and Anxiety
We often forget that even young children can experience stress, and just like adults, they may clench or grind in response. This could be due to:
- Changes at school
- Family tensions
- Sleep disturbances
- Perfectionism or performance pressure
Young children can’t fully express their feelings yet, so emotional tension can come out physically in ways like nail biting, tummy aches, bedwetting, or, in this case, teeth grinding. Sleep is a time when their nervous system “lets go” of built-up tension, and the result can be clenching or rhythmic grinding of the jaw.
Research also shows that children with higher levels of anxiety or those who are more emotionally sensitive may be more prone to bruxism, especially if they struggle to wind down before bed. Even “good” stress, like excitement before a birthday, can sometimes trigger grinding in sensitive kids.
As adults, we lie awake worrying. Kids, on the other hand, “act out” their stress in their sleep, without realising it. That’s why it’s important to look at the whole picture, including emotional well-being, if a child is persistently grinding teeth.
4. Sleep Disorders and Breathing Issues
This one’s often missed. Grinding can be linked to breathing problems like:
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
When your child has restricted airflow during sleep, their body may respond by activating the jaw muscles. Some researchers believe that children grind their teeth to open their airway or reposition their tongue, especially when the tongue falls back and partially blocks the throat. Grinding, in this case, may be your child’s way of subconsciously trying to keep their oxygen levels stable during deep sleep. Grinding is often one of the earliest signs of a sleep-disordered breathing pattern.
If your child grinds their teeth, snores, breathes through their mouth, or wakes up frequently, it’s really important to look into why this is happening. If there’s an underlying airway issue or a narrow palate, treating it can reduce or even stop the grinding.
Wondering if your child’s sleep and breathing might be connected?
👉🏻 Read our post: Can Your Child’s Teeth Affect How They Sleep and Breathe?
5. Certain Medical or Neurological Conditions
Bruxism is more common in children with:
- ADHD
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Cerebral Palsy
- Epilepsy
In these cases, teeth grinding is often caused by neuromuscular or sensory regulation challenges. For example, children with ADHD may grind their teeth because they have increased physical restlessness, difficulty with self-regulation, or in response to overstimulation during the day.
Teeth grinding is also sometimes linked to medications that work on the central nervous system, like, for example, stimulants used to treat ADHD. These medications can increase the likelihood of bruxism during sleep.
If your child has one of these conditions or is on long-term medication and you’ve noticed teeth grinding, mention this to both your dentist and prescribing doctor.
Will Grinding Damage My Child’s Teeth?
Luckily, most kids outgrow bruxism without any damage, and often, teeth grinding is just a phase. But don’t ignore it, especially if the grinding is intense, happens often, or continues once your child is a little older. In these cases, if it’s ignored, prolonged grinding can lead to:
- Worn-down enamel (the protective layer on the teeth). This increases the risk of cavities or sensitivity.
- Sensitive teeth, because the dentin of the tooth is exposed. Dentin contains tiny tubules that connect to the tooth’s pulp, where the nerves live, so when dentin is exposed, cold foods or drinks can cause sensitivity or pain.
- Chipped or flattened tooth edges, which can affect both how the tooth works and how it looks.
- Jaw pain or headaches, because the facial muscles are overworked or there is tension in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
- Interrupted sleep, because even if your child doesn’t remember waking, bruxism can keep their body from getting the deep sleep it needs.
Over time, if grinding goes untreated, it can even influence how a child’s bite develops. In severe cases, untreated grinding can contribute to dental issues that require orthodontic treatment later on.
The earlier we start treating grinding, the easier it is to manage. Regular dental check-ups are extremely important to catch the subtle signs before real damage occurs.
How Do I Know If My Child Is Grinding Their Teeth?
Many kids don’t even know they’re doing it, and signs can be subtle, especially if they’re not in pain. Often, a parent, sibling, or caregiver notices something’s not quite right, but you can also look out for:
- Audible grinding at night
- Complaints of sore jaws or face in the morning
- Chipped or worn teeth
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Sleep troubles or restless sleep
- Tightness when chewing
Some children also develop headaches or neck stiffness, and we forget to consider if it’s linked to grinding. Many of these signs develop gradually, and so they’re easy to miss in busy day-to-day life.
If you’re unsure, ask us at The Gentle Dentist. We can see the early signs of bruxism during a routine check-up, long before your child feels anything. Early detection means less stress and less damage.
When Should You See a Dentist for Teeth Grinding?
If grinding is:
- Happening regularly
- Affecting sleep
- Causing tooth wear or pain
- Happening along with snoring or mouth breathing
…it’s time to book a visit. An assessment can help rule out bite issues, identify damage, and guide you on what to do next. We might even recommend a night guard or refer you to an ENT if breathing is a concern.
Should Kids Wear Night Guards?
We generally don’t recommend night guards in children, especially those who are still growing. While these devices are commonly used in adults to reduce tooth wear from grinding, they can interfere with natural jaw and facial development in younger patients.
Because the bite, jawbones, and airway structures are still evolving throughout childhood and adolescence, placing a rigid appliance like a night guard too early can disrupt normal growth patterns or mask underlying issues, such as airway obstruction or bite imbalance.
Instead of jumping to a night guard, we focus on understanding what’s triggering the grinding in the first place. That includes looking at:
- Your child’s age and stage of dental development
- Any signs of pain, sensitivity, or enamel wear
- How often and how intensely they grind
- Their bite, jaw alignment, and breathing patterns
- Possible stress or sleep disruptions
If your child is grinding but not in pain and not damaging their teeth, we may simply monitor it over time. If there are signs that it’s related to something deeper, like airway obstruction or anxiety, we may recommend a referral to an ENT, orthodontist, or therapist to address the root cause.
At The Gentle Dentist, we typically wait until age 18, when jaw growth is complete, before considering a custom night guard. Until then, we take a more holistic, growth-friendly approach to protecting your child’s teeth and development.
The Grind Might Be Normal, But It’s Not Always Harmless
Bruxism might just be a harmless childhood phase, or it might be your child’s way of telling you something about their bite, their breathing, or their emotions.
If you’re unsure, come chat to us. At The Gentle Dentist, we’re here for support that goes beyond just teeth.
Worried About Nighttime Teeth Grinding?
Let’s take a closer look. For peace of mind, book your child’s dental visit today, and we’ll put your mind at ease and work out a plan to keep your child’s teeth healthy.
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