Bruxism in children is a disease in which a child grinds with his teeth, most often in a dream. According to statistics, this affects about a percent of the world's population. Gnashing of teeth can manifest as night attacks, the duration of which can reach several minutes. Obviously, this has a very negative effect on the work of the jaw joints and on the health of tooth enamel.
Even today, the treatment and prevention of disease in children is not an easy task. As a rule, the degree of difficulty depends on when the disease manifested itself, what it was caused and in what form it occurred. Usually, bruxism, observed in infants, does not need treatment, disappearing to about 7-8 years of life.
First of all, with any form of bruxism, the patient receives an appointment to a therapist who will help relieve stress and emotional stress.
In the daytime form of the disease, much depends on the patient himself. Doctors advise to follow the compression of the jaws and relax the jaw muscles at the first signs of bruxism.
At the manifestations of the disease at night, when the patient does not have control capabilities, special mouthguards are used, that is, plastic or rubber drums, which are worn before bedtime and protect teeth from erasure during seizures.
The toothbrush is made individually for each patient and is located in the oral cavity so that it does not interfere with sleep. When the attack comes, the pressure goes to the impeller, not to the teeth, protecting them from destruction.
Very often, drug therapy is also prescribed with calcium, magnesium and B vitamins. They help to reduce the likelihood of seizures during sleep.
If the disease is caused due to an incorrect bite, then a specialist who examines the patient must prescribe orthodontic treatment.
Measures to treat bruxism
As often as possible, the jaws should be relaxed. Lower and upper teeth should not touch each other, if at the moment there is no process of chewing, swallowing or talking. Try to explain this to your children, let them try to keep their teeth so that they do not touch, if the jaw is not busy with anything.
Encourage physical activity. Constant exercises usually help children to relieve stress and other stresses in the muscles, which often causes the night form of bruxism.
However, before going to bed, physical activity should be reduced. Children should not participate in any active games before bed, since the muscles need time to relax after the load. Therefore, at least an hour before going to bed, the child should be in a more or less quiet environment - read or view a picture book or something like that.
You can try to let the baby sleep longer. Bruxism can also arise due to overwork, and in fact children are most often hyperactive, which increases the risk of developing the disease. Try to put him to sleep at an earlier hour than usual, if he is used to go to bed at ten - send him to sleep at nine, etc. This can help reduce the intensity of the manifestations of bruxism.
Do not let the baby eat at night. If the gastrointestinal tract works at night, then this can lead to excessive stress, which, in turn, again leads to an exacerbation of the disease. Children should not be allowed to eat anything but water, at least an hour before bedtime.
Talk more often with the child and ask about his affairs. If he is worried or nervous about grades at school, his sports achievements, etc., this can cause emotional stress, which can also lead to grinding his teeth in a dream. If you feel that the child is concerned about anything - take time to tell you everything you want, thus removing the tension. This will allow him to sleep peacefully. It is best that such a calming conversation is conducted daily before bedtime.
The use of moist, warm compresses can help. If the child has a jaw in the morning, then soak a terry towel in warm water, how to squeeze and apply to the sore spot until the pain subsides. This helps to endure the effects of seizures.