Bruxism is a repetitive muscular activity of the mandible (lower jaw), which is characterized by grinding of teeth , either during the day or during the night. In children, the prevalence of bruxism varies between 5% -40%, depending on the age group. Prevalence is the number or proportion of cases in a given population and period. Teeth grinding during the day or at night should always be considered an alert factor for other changes that may be happening simultaneously with child growth. In the first months or years of life, when teeth have not yet been born, its relative position when the jaws are closed (occlusion) is not yet fully defined. At these ages, bruxism may have this explanation, that is, it is due to occlusal instability or the absence of a defined relationship between the upper and lower jaw. Children who show signs of anxiety and worry excessive for their age, have personality problems or attention deficit are more likely to experience bruxism, although it is not possible to establish a cause-effect relationship. Risk factors for bruxism in children are: Emotional causes , for example resulting from a change of school, family problems, excessive responsibility for the child, excessive extracurricular activities, birth of a new family member; Mouth breathing (sleeping with your mouth open), snoring; Quality of sleep , whether due to insufficient sleep hours, restless sleep, poor posture during sleep, sleep apnea; Genetic inheritance . What to do if your child has teeth grinding? Try to understand with the child if there are any issues that are worrying him, pay attention to his behavior and try to identify other changes that are present. Create an environment that promotes a correct sleep hygiene , decreasing stimuli about 1 hour before bedtime (turning off electronic devices, dimming light, minimizing noise) so that the child is calm when bedtime comes. Seek medical advice from professionals dedicated to occlusion and temporomandibular disorders (dentists and stomatologists) so that a detailed assessment of the child is made, and a treatment plan is defined. This plan may go from periodic monitoring of the habit of teeth grinding to a multidisciplinary intervention, with other areas of medicine, namely otolaryngology, pneumology, pedopsychiatry, among others. Author : Helena Campos Silva Meet the dentistry team from Hospital da Luz network . The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
