5 year old grinding her teeth?

my friend%26#039;s daughter has been grinding her teeth since she first got them. i just noticed that they are slowly being worn down and just now her front tooth is chipped. my friend said that the dentist couldn%26#039;t do anything for her until she get%26#039;s her adult teeth in but by then it would have worn down to the gums.





what can be done?


she is too young for a mouth guard


we don%26#039;t think it hurts right now but it appears that the top enamel is worn down to almosts like stumps


we%26#039;re afraid as she gets older it will affect her self esteem

5 year old grinding her teeth?
DO NOT GET A BITE APPLIANCE MADE FOR A YOUNG CHILD!!!





I can not state emphatically enough that you should never, ever consider getting (or making) an appliance to stop tooth grinding in a five year old. This would stop proper growth and development of the jaw where the appliance is worn.





It is my opinion that baby teeth are designed to be worn away as the jaws grow and develop. This allows for different growth rates and it allows for the accommodation of the permanent teeth with their much more pronounced cusp forms when they start to come in.





You may wish to ask your dentist to check for underlying problems, but 99% of the time - if not more - this is just part of being a five year old.
Reply:As Dr Sam says, there is absolutely no need to intervene. Most kids grind their teeth, and I have never had to treat any child for this, even though they can sometimes wear them almost down to the gums.


This is on the proviso that she otherwise has healthy, undecayed teeth.


Get some ear muffs!



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