Jump to content
RemedySpot.com

Teeth Grinding

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

,

what kind of calcium do you use?

Thanks,

RE: Re: teeth grinding

Hi

For my son . . .

Putting things in his mouth (eg toys, pegs, other small objects) - fixed by

zinc

Eating / chewing on things (eg the piano, exercise bike, ribbons, chalk) -

fixed by calcium

Grinding teeth - fixed by magnesium

Good luck

:-)

Just saw in Haleh's post that teeth grinding is low zinc. Is that always

the case, or could it be yeast? won't have any teeth left if this

continues!

Thanks,

and

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, for my son it was definitely yeast.

Chelsea

>

> Just saw in Haleh's post that teeth grinding is low zinc. Is that

> always the case, or could it be yeast? won't have any teeth

left

> if this continues!

>

> Thanks,

> and

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it matters, what works for is true for my son. Yeast can

cause chewing on clothes for my kid, but not teeth grinding. That is

always fixed by cal/mag. We use Kirkman's calcium powder and their

magnesium citrate (also sometimes use Thorne's). I have also read

that grinding is often a lead problem (same temporary fix of upping

calcium/magnesium).

Judy

>

> Just saw in Haleh's post that teeth grinding is low zinc. Is that

> always the case, or could it be yeast? won't have any teeth left

> if this continues!

>

> Thanks,

> and

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

>

> Just saw in Haleh's post that teeth grinding is low zinc. Is that

> always the case, or could it be yeast? won't have any teeth left

> if this continues!

For my kids, teeth grinding was a result of improper zinc/copper

ratio. Three of my kids needed zinc, one needed copper.

I have read info from other parents that the grinding was caused by

deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, or vitamin B5. Yeast overgrowth

can do it. So can parasites.

Dana

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi

Just to update this . . . my son has had the " chewies " incredibly recently.

In the past what I listed below had always sorted it out, but this time it

didn't. I added in a short term yeast fighter and that seems to have done

the trick.

For my son . . .

Putting things in his mouth (eg toys, pegs, other small objects) - fixed by

zinc

Eating / chewing on things (eg the piano, exercise bike, ribbons, chalk) -

fixed by calcium

Grinding teeth - fixed by magnesium

Good luck

:-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, a few people have achieved the no chewing problem with the addition of

pantothenic acid, or pantethine. It appears in some kids this is a stress

reacting and B5 decreases stress-related behaviors.

FW: Re: teeth grinding

> Hi

>

> Just to update this . . . my son has had the " chewies " incredibly

> recently.

> In the past what I listed below had always sorted it out, but this time it

> didn't. I added in a short term yeast fighter and that seems to have done

> the trick.

>

>

>

>

>

> For my son . . .

>

> Putting things in his mouth (eg toys, pegs, other small objects) - fixed

> by

> zinc

>

> Eating / chewing on things (eg the piano, exercise bike, ribbons, chalk) -

> fixed by calcium

>

> Grinding teeth - fixed by magnesium

>

> Good luck

>

> :-)

>

>

>

>

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
Guest guest

Increasing Calcium supplementation stopped this in my son.

Pamela

" Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless

you're scared. "

Eddie Rickenbacker, top US fighter ace, WWI

_____

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of incoehoots

Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 2:36 PM

Subject: [ ] Teeth Grinding

HI all

We are finishing up our 3rd round of chelation (dmsa/ala) on our 6 yo

son. We treated for yeast before the start of chelation. I am not

sure when, but my son started grinding his teeth. He started before

the yeast treatment. I thought it was an anxiety/stim sort of thing.

He has got worse with chelation. His top teeth are wore down (baby

teeth) and now he is opening his mouth like he is trying to pop his

jaw. I was giving him zinc, but with all the supplements the doc has

him on, it is hard to get it in.

His doc has told me to use activated charcoal, but this would be

extemely difficult, as you are supposed to give it by itself not

around food or other supps. Any suggestions would be greatly

apprecited.

This is my second post, the first never came through, but if it did

sorry to repeat myself. I am really worried about this.

Thanks

Mandy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest guest

Increasing Zinc stopped the grinding for my dd.

Karyn

-- [ ] Teeth Grinding

HI all

We are finishing up our 3rd round of chelation (dmsa/ala) on our 6 yo

son. We treated for yeast before the start of chelation. I am not

sure when, but my son started grinding his teeth. He started before

the yeast treatment. I thought it was an anxiety/stim sort of thing.

He has got worse with chelation. His top teeth are wore down (baby

teeth) and now he is opening his mouth like he is trying to pop his

jaw. I was giving him zinc, but with all the supplements the doc has

him on, it is hard to get it in.

His doc has told me to use activated charcoal, but this would be

extemely difficult, as you are supposed to give it by itself not

around food or other supps. Any suggestions would be greatly

apprecited.

This is my second post, the first never came through, but if it did

sorry to repeat myself. I am really worried about this.

Thanks

Mandy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest guest

>>but my son started grinding his teeth. He started before

> the yeast treatment.

For my kids, this meant improper zinc/copper ratio. Three kids needed

zinc, one needed copper.

It can also mean yeast overgrowth.

Dana

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest guest

Dana

I did read that on your website. Zinc seems to help. In all the

supplements my doctor has us doing, I am not sure if there is any

copper, unless it is in something else. Do I need to give him

copper?

> >>but my son started grinding his teeth. He started before

> > the yeast treatment.

>

>

> For my kids, this meant improper zinc/copper ratio. Three kids

needed

> zinc, one needed copper.

>

> It can also mean yeast overgrowth.

>

> Dana

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest guest

Generally one wantx to avoid supplementing copper unless you know the person is

low in it.

S S

<p>Dana<br>

I did read that on your website. Zinc seems to help. In all the <br>

supplements my doctor has us doing, I am not sure if there is any <br>

copper, unless it is in something else. Do I need to give him <br>

copper?<br>

<

_______________________________________________

Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com

The most personalized portal on the Web!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest guest

> Dana

> I did read that on your website. Zinc seems to help. In all the

> supplements my doctor has us doing, I am not sure if there is any

> copper, unless it is in something else. Do I need to give him

> copper?

Does the zinc cause any problems, especially like nosebleeds? If so,

add some copper. Most kids don't need copper supplementation, but

some do.

Dana

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 6 months later...

>Does any one know if teeth grinding is caused by any mineral deficiency?

Hi Vinutha

Teeth grinding at our house is due to magnesium deficiency.

Good luck

:-)

,_._,___

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At my house teeth grinding was happening when their zinc and copper

ratio was outta whack. The magnesium is always a good thing...but you

also might want to try a little zinc.

hth

Ronni

> >Does any one know if teeth grinding is caused by any mineral

deficiency?

>

> Hi Vinutha

>

> Teeth grinding at our house is due to magnesium deficiency.

>

> Good luck

>

> :-)

>

> ,_._,___

>

>

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 2 weeks later...

+

From my studies I have learned that teeth grinding could be from a

lack of mag. and/ or parasites.

One could try black walnut for the parasites, this could also help

build the enamel on the teeth.

As far as the magnesium goes, calcium is not needed for mag. but mag.

is needed when taking calcium.

Jane

www.KidsHealthNaturally.com

>

> One of my boys grinded his teeth almost continuously and the other

did it from time to time. We started supplemented with 200 to 300 mg

of magnesium glycinate spread throughout the day and the teeth

grinding completely stopped.

>

> Dana

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jane -does the black walnut work for older people too?!! (parasites

aside -doesn't our teeth enamel get thinner as we age?) There are a

number of well known reasons why children may go through this stage

(with and without speech issues) In this group; with the speech

issues, there may be added reasons for teeth grinding. For some

reason prior to a surge some go through this temporary stage, and

while we know some here go through the oral exploration stage late-

during that stage they go through some teeth grinding as well. More

in the archive below:

Re: Teeth Grinding

Hope some of these archives help -but in short this is very normal

-and it passes -and there in most cases reasons for this " stage "

(at least appears to be on in this group! See archives below)

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding or Clenching)

KidsHealth

Contact form

https://secure02.kidshealth.org/parent/kh_misc/send_mail.html

When you look in on your sleeping child, you want to hear the sounds

of sweet dreams: easy breathing and perhaps an occasional sigh. But

some parents hear the harsher sounds of gnashing and grinding teeth,

called bruxism, which is common in kids.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the medical term for the grinding of teeth or the

clenching of jaws, especially during deep sleep or while under

stress. It comes from the Greek word " brychein, " which means to gnash

the teeth. Three out of every 10 kids will grind or clench, experts

say, with the highest incidence in children under 5.

Causes of Bruxism

Though studies have been done, no one knows why bruxism happens. But

in some cases, kids may grind because the top and bottom teeth aren't

aligned properly. Others do it as a response to pain, such as an

earache or teething. Kids might grind their teeth as a way to ease

the pain, just as they might rub a sore muscle. Most kids outgrow

these fairly common causes for grinding.

Stress — usually nervous tension or anger — is another cause. For

instance, your child may be worrying about a test at school or

experiencing a change in routine (a new sibling or a new teacher).

Even arguing with parents and siblings can cause enough stress to

prompt teeth grinding or jaw clenching.

Some kids who are hyperactive also experience bruxism.

Effects of Bruxism

Generally, bruxism doesn't hurt a child's teeth. Many cases go

undetected with no adverse effects, though some may result in mild

morning headaches or earaches. Most often, however, the condition can

be more bothersome to you and others in your home because of the

grinding sound.

In some extreme circumstances, nighttime grinding and clenching can

wear down tooth enamel, chip teeth, increase temperature sensitivity,

and cause severe facial pain and jaw problems, such as

temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ). Most kids who grind, however,

do not have TMJ problems unless their grinding and clenching is

chronic.

Diagnosing Bruxism

Lots of kids who grind their teeth aren't even aware of it, so it's

often siblings or parents who identify the problem.

Some signs to watch for:

grinding noises when your child is sleeping

complaints of a sore jaw or face in the morning

thumb sucking

fingernail biting

gnawing on pencils and toys

chewing the inside of the cheek

If you think your child is grinding his or her teeth, visit the

dentist, who will examine the teeth for chipped enamel and unusual

wear and tear, and spray air and water on the teeth to check for

unusual sensitivity.

If damage is detected, the dentist will ask your child a few

questions, such as:

How do you feel before bed?

Are you worried about anything at home or school?

Are you angry with someone?

What do you do before bed?

The exam will help the dentist determine whether the grinding is

caused by anatomical (misaligned teeth) or psychological (stress)

factors and come up with an effective treatment plan.

Treating Bruxism

Most kids outgrow bruxism, but a combination of parental observation

and dental visits can help keep the problem in check until they do.

In cases where the grinding and clenching make a child's face and jaw

sore or damage the teeth, dentists may prescribe a special night

guard. Molded to a child's teeth, the night guard is similar to the

protective mouthpieces worn by football players. Though a mouthpiece

may take some getting used to, positive results happen quickly.

Helping Kids With Bruxism

Whether the cause is physical or psychological, kids might be able to

control bruxism by relaxing before bedtime — for example, by taking a

warm bath or shower, listening to a few minutes of soothing music, or

reading a book.

For bruxism that's caused by stress, try to find out what's upsetting

your child and find a way to help. For example, a kid who is worried

about being away from home for a first camping trip might need

reassurance that mom or dad will be nearby if anything happens.

If the issue is more complicated, such as moving to a new town,

discuss your child's concerns and try to ease any fears. If you're

concerned about your child's emotional state, talk to your doctor.

In rare cases, basic stress relievers aren't enough to stop bruxism.

If your child has trouble sleeping or is acting differently than

usual, your child's dentist or doctor may suggest a psychological

assessment. This can help determine the cause of the stress and an

appropriate course of treatment.

How Long Does Bruxism Last?

Childhood bruxism is usually outgrown by adolescence. Most kids stop

grinding when they lose their baby teeth because permanent teeth are

much more sensitive to pain. However, a few children do continue to

grind into adolescence. And if the bruxism is caused by stress, it

will continue until the stress is relieved.

Preventing Bruxism

Because some bruxism is a child's natural reaction to growth and

development, most cases can't be prevented. Stress-induced bruxism

can be avoided, however, by talking with kids regularly about their

feelings and helping them deal with stress.

Reviewed by: A. Goss, RDH, BS, and Charlie J. Inga, DDS

Date reviewed: September 2007

Originally reviewed by: A. Goss, RDH, BS, and Garrett B. Lyons,

DDS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(a bite guard and occlusal splints is the same thing)

Occlusal splints for treating sleep bruxism (tooth grinding)

By: Macedo CR, Silva AB, Machado MA, Saconato H, Prado GF

The Cochrane Collaboration

October 17, 2007

Abstract

Background

Sleep bruxism is an oral activity characterised by teeth grinding or

clenching during sleep. Several treatments for sleep bruxism have

been proposed such as pharmacological, psychological, and dental.

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of occlusal splints for the treatment

of sleep bruxism with alternative interventions, placebo or no

treatment.

Search strategy

We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register (to May

2007); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)

(The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 1); MEDLINE (1966 to May 2007);

EMBASE (1980 to May 2007); LILACS (1982 to May 2007); Biblioteca

Brasileira de Odontologia (1982 to May 2007); Dissertation, Theses

and Abstracts (1981 to May 2007); and handsearched abstracts of

particular importance to this review. Additional reports were

identified from the reference lists of retrieved reports and from

article reviews about treating sleep bruxism. There were no language

restrictions.

Selection criteria

We selected randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials (RCTs),

in which splint therapy was compared concurrently to no treatment,

other occlusal appliances, or any other intervention in participants

with sleep bruxism.

Data collection and analysis

Data extraction was carried out independently and in duplicate.

Validity assessment of the included trials was carried out at the

same time as data extraction. Discrepancies were discussed and a

third review author consulted. The author of the primary study was

contacted when necessary.

Main results

Thirty-two potentially relevant RCTs were identified. Twenty-four

trials were excluded. Five RCTs were included. Occlusal splint was

compared to: palatal splint, mandibular advancement device,

transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation, and no treatment. There

was just one common outcome (arousal index) which was combined in a

meta-analysis. No statistically significant differences between the

occlusal splint and control groups were found in the meta-analyses.

Authors' conclusions

There is not sufficient evidence to state that the occlusal splint is

effective for treating sleep bruxism. Indication of its use is

questionable with regard to sleep outcomes, but it may be that there

is some benefit with regard to tooth wear. This systematic review

suggests the need for further investigation in more controlled RCTs

that pay attention to method of allocation, outcome assessment, large

sample size, and sufficient duration of follow up. The study design

must be parallel, in order to eliminate the bias provided by studies

of cross-over type. A standardisation of the outcomes of the

treatment of sleep bruxism should be established in the RCTs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~archives

In the archives many times tooth grinding is reported as one of

those " bad signs " once the child starts the fish oils that is really

a good sign. Again for some reason this comes up lots when parents

start the child on the oils so much of the archives point to that.

Re: 3 yr old grinding teeth

Could be (again) ...normal -read on/archive:

Re: Pro-EFA (teeth grinding)

Kristie this too has come up many times before so have some answers

below in archives. For a better idea however can you please let us

know why 2 a day vs one a day of ProEFA for a 2 year old? For a 4

year old or older I would understand even starting at 2 a day -but

not at 2. Not that anything you see is " bad " but you may just want

to cut down on his dosage a bit to one a day. Or...

Did he already hit the first plateau (around 3-6 month time range)

so you raised him to 2? If so how long ago did you raise him? Have you

always noticed the teeth grinding etc. since any ProEFA? How long

has he been taking ProEFA? Why don't you give both together in the

AM?

Yes I was the child that always asked why! Anyway -below are some

archives to help show you that 'you are far from alone'!

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Sun May 29, 2005 4:33 pm

Subject: Re: reading all the posts of nail biting - what about teeth

grinding

It's normal to worry -but most of us don't have to worry about tooth

grinding in young children or do anything to try to stop it.

Besides -we again can't always assume there are negative reasons

when it may be a normal stage -or even a reason for it in regards to

later speech.

Just a quick note before the archive. We went out on the boat to

the beach today with another family with kids in our neighborhood

who we get together with all the time. Before we did that however

we all went out to breakfast -and Tanner asked if he can drive back

with Mark (neighbor) because he has a convertible -everyone else

went in our car. At the beach today Mark asked me and Glenn " You

know I never noticed before but when Tanner was talking to me today

in the car (he then paused like he didn't know how to ask

this)....does he have some type of speech problem? " We had never

said anything -and he only noticed it today! We explained for the

first time what apraxia was. He then said he had no idea because

that when Tanner talked to him before it was never a long

conversation like today. Guess he thought we'd take that in a bad

way that he asked -but I'm thrilled he didn't notice till today!

Wow! (Now of course however I want him to be able to talk for long

periods of time and for people not to notice then either!)

And back on topic -yes Tanner was a tooth grinder -but as it says

below -without doing anything, changing anything -it just stopped.

(Just as my dentist friend said it would when I was all worried

about it!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~start of archive

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:44 am

Subject: Re: [ ]bruxism (tooth grinding)

Hi Giseli!

Apraxia and tooth grinding? There is no direct connection that

anyone knows for sure -just theories. It has come up as a subject

in the past, but not much.

I know you had Igor on EFAs (two ProEFA) first for four days -then

for one -and each time reported some bad behavior and stopped.

Tooth grinding may be another exploration side effect or it could

just be developmental. I have an archive on this below. BTW -is

Igor now on any EFAs? Steady? If so what formula and any changes?

Did you try just one -or 1/2 capsule/ProEFA Jr.?

~~~~~~~~~~~start if archive

It's apparent your child has some oral motor issues and the tooth

grinding, which is not unusual in children as you will read below -

may instead/in addition be an exploratory stage due to improvements

from

therapies (both traditional as well as complimentary ones like

EFAs) As always -what we view as a " bad " thing may in fact be a

sign of good things to come!

" Believe it or not -this one is in the archives. This was considered

> yet another 'bad sign' that is really a good sign. Some children

> never fully

> go through the teething stage which is a healthy part of oral

> exploration

> important for

> developing speech.

http://www.feeding.com/images/Oral%20Exploration.PDF

May want to keep us posted in the weeks ahead!

Here is an archive on this that may help:

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Sat Dec 20, 2003 9:48 pm

Subject: Re: New here and feeling guilty

Hi Kim!

The aspect of tooth grinding in your message caught my eye -and I

have two archives on that below. Sometimes what we view as a bad

thing could really be a good thing as we talked about with late

teething.

(archive)

" I don't know exactly why your child is moving her mouth in unusual

positions, or groping -however to me any changes outside the norm

when you start your child on the EFAs is a great sign that something

is clicking and that the surge may be soon approaching. (Please let

us know when you see the surge in speech in the next week or two!)

Since I receive lots of calls about this -I wanted to list the most

common changes in an apraxic or other speech disordered child on

EFAs from what I've read and heard and seen.

1. Increase in babbling or attempts at sounds.

2. Increase in imitation.

Changes also can be looked for in (what you see as positive or

negative)

sleep

attention

appetite

focus

behavior

stools

Next will come a breakthrough of something you were probably working

on for a bit -so you will be excited but will think " Well -I don't

want to get my hopes up we were working on that for awhile now -

maybe it's just a coincidence " However after the second or third

surge in a short period of time -and then another - you are pretty

sure things are different and it's at this point the professionals

and the rest of the family and your friends are noticing it too -

maybe about two to three weeks now.

OK -the next stage is pure elation and hope -you see the light and

no longer feel as desperate and want to share this new information

with everyone and anyone. As the months go by and your child

continues to progress at a much more rapid rate -you may even start

to doubt the original diagnosis -especially if you started EFA

supplementation at two -and perhaps the SLP that diagnosed the

apraxia who also was at first excited is starting to second guess if

the original diagnosis was correct as well. Unless you have to stop

the ProEFA (or other Essential Fatty Acid) and literally have the

chance to see the regression of acquired speech and language skills,

attempts, and changes in behavior like we did with Tanner (and/or

have a chance to again witness the second surge when your child is

put back on the EFAs) -that doubt will probably remain somewhere in

your mind and in others around your child. So the " I told you that

he would start talking when he was ready " comments should be

expected of course.

....The child on ProEFA or some other EFA formula's like it no longer

fits the criteria of the classic definition of apraxia -and yet

doesn't fit the classic perception of what a late talker is either...

....Here is what many of us have found to be the best plan

anecdotally...start with the basic formula, one ProEFA a day, we

saw surges in a few days to three weeks which continued for months -

we then reached a plateau after around 6 months. At this point we

raised the dosage to two capsules of ProEFA a day and once again had

those surges which lasted again for months. When we reached the

next plateau after around a year, instead of going to three a day -

we squeezed 1/2 to one capsule of ProEPA into the 2 capsules of

ProEFA and for almost all of us that try -that created another surge.

Over time -you may raise the dosage up higher -and you may slightly

change the formula to raise the Omega 3 over the Omega 6 ratio -but

you need to know your own child, keep track of his progress through

both your own observations and that of the professionals -with the

advice of your child's doctor -to know what is best for him/her. "

Let us know if you start having surges in the next few days! I

wouldn't be surprised. There are a few messages in the archives about

tooth grinding -here are just two:

From: " cailg547 " <aigjr@...>

Date: Fri Sep 13, 2002 11:37 am

Subject: brain & efa's!

My daughter had her second brain MRI yesterday. The first was when

she was 2 and 1/2 now she is 4 and 1/2. The first one showed that her

myelin needed to grow some more. We started supplementing with efa's

right after that first MRI. First efalex until she was 3 and then

proefa. We saw results with speech on the proefa and with the efelex

she stopped teeth grinding.

The MRI yesterday showed that her myelin is not only completely

developed but extremely so.

The myelin is the outer coating of brain cells and without it the

brain can't make connections within itself so that you can function.

People who have MS lose myelin.

This development was very important for my daughter because it was

also discovered what I had suspected, that she has some tiny spots is

considered brain damage probably caused by lack of oxygen while she

was in the birth canal too long (over 4 hours).

It was explained to me that without the myelin the brain would not be

able to find alternative routes to learn to do what that spot would

have been responsible for.

The pediatric radiologist said that they believe that most people

stop producing myelin at age 3-3 1/2 but with efa's myelin can keep

being produced!

Carolyn aigjr@...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: "

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+

Yes the black walnut will help adult teeth. I add it to my toothpaste

along with white oak bark. Black walnut will help build enamel and

whiten teeth and white oak bark will fill in cavities and helps

anything to do with teeth and gums.. So fascinating!

Thank you so much for the archives.

Jane

www.KidsHealthNaturally.com

>

> Jane -does the black walnut work for older people too?!! (parasites

> aside -doesn't our teeth enamel get thinner as we age?) There are a

> number of well known reasons why children may go through this stage

> (with and without speech issues) In this group; with the speech

> issues, there may be added reasons for teeth grinding. For some

> reason prior to a surge some go through this temporary stage, and

> while we know some here go through the oral exploration stage late-

> during that stage they go through some teeth grinding as well. More

> in the archive below:

>

> Re: Teeth Grinding

>

> Hope some of these archives help -but in short this is very normal

> -and it passes -and there in most cases reasons for this " stage "

> (at least appears to be on in this group! See archives below)

>

> Bruxism (Teeth Grinding or Clenching)

> KidsHealth

>

> Contact form

> https://secure02.kidshealth.org/parent/kh_misc/send_mail.html

>

> When you look in on your sleeping child, you want to hear the sounds

> of sweet dreams: easy breathing and perhaps an occasional sigh. But

> some parents hear the harsher sounds of gnashing and grinding teeth,

> called bruxism, which is common in kids.

>

> What Is Bruxism?

> Bruxism is the medical term for the grinding of teeth or the

> clenching of jaws, especially during deep sleep or while under

> stress. It comes from the Greek word " brychein, " which means to gnash

> the teeth. Three out of every 10 kids will grind or clench, experts

> say, with the highest incidence in children under 5.

>

> Causes of Bruxism

> Though studies have been done, no one knows why bruxism happens. But

> in some cases, kids may grind because the top and bottom teeth aren't

> aligned properly. Others do it as a response to pain, such as an

> earache or teething. Kids might grind their teeth as a way to ease

> the pain, just as they might rub a sore muscle. Most kids outgrow

> these fairly common causes for grinding.

>

> Stress — usually nervous tension or anger — is another cause. For

> instance, your child may be worrying about a test at school or

> experiencing a change in routine (a new sibling or a new teacher).

> Even arguing with parents and siblings can cause enough stress to

> prompt teeth grinding or jaw clenching.

>

> Some kids who are hyperactive also experience bruxism.

>

> Effects of Bruxism

> Generally, bruxism doesn't hurt a child's teeth. Many cases go

> undetected with no adverse effects, though some may result in mild

> morning headaches or earaches. Most often, however, the condition can

> be more bothersome to you and others in your home because of the

> grinding sound.

>

> In some extreme circumstances, nighttime grinding and clenching can

> wear down tooth enamel, chip teeth, increase temperature sensitivity,

> and cause severe facial pain and jaw problems, such as

> temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ). Most kids who grind, however,

> do not have TMJ problems unless their grinding and clenching is

> chronic.

>

> Diagnosing Bruxism

> Lots of kids who grind their teeth aren't even aware of it, so it's

> often siblings or parents who identify the problem.

>

> Some signs to watch for:

>

> grinding noises when your child is sleeping

> complaints of a sore jaw or face in the morning

> thumb sucking

> fingernail biting

> gnawing on pencils and toys

> chewing the inside of the cheek

> If you think your child is grinding his or her teeth, visit the

> dentist, who will examine the teeth for chipped enamel and unusual

> wear and tear, and spray air and water on the teeth to check for

> unusual sensitivity.

>

> If damage is detected, the dentist will ask your child a few

> questions, such as:

>

> How do you feel before bed?

> Are you worried about anything at home or school?

> Are you angry with someone?

> What do you do before bed?

> The exam will help the dentist determine whether the grinding is

> caused by anatomical (misaligned teeth) or psychological (stress)

> factors and come up with an effective treatment plan.

>

> Treating Bruxism

> Most kids outgrow bruxism, but a combination of parental observation

> and dental visits can help keep the problem in check until they do.

>

> In cases where the grinding and clenching make a child's face and jaw

> sore or damage the teeth, dentists may prescribe a special night

> guard. Molded to a child's teeth, the night guard is similar to the

> protective mouthpieces worn by football players. Though a mouthpiece

> may take some getting used to, positive results happen quickly.

>

> Helping Kids With Bruxism

> Whether the cause is physical or psychological, kids might be able to

> control bruxism by relaxing before bedtime — for example, by taking a

> warm bath or shower, listening to a few minutes of soothing music, or

> reading a book.

>

> For bruxism that's caused by stress, try to find out what's upsetting

> your child and find a way to help. For example, a kid who is worried

> about being away from home for a first camping trip might need

> reassurance that mom or dad will be nearby if anything happens.

>

> If the issue is more complicated, such as moving to a new town,

> discuss your child's concerns and try to ease any fears. If you're

> concerned about your child's emotional state, talk to your doctor.

>

> In rare cases, basic stress relievers aren't enough to stop bruxism.

> If your child has trouble sleeping or is acting differently than

> usual, your child's dentist or doctor may suggest a psychological

> assessment. This can help determine the cause of the stress and an

> appropriate course of treatment.

>

> How Long Does Bruxism Last?

> Childhood bruxism is usually outgrown by adolescence. Most kids stop

> grinding when they lose their baby teeth because permanent teeth are

> much more sensitive to pain. However, a few children do continue to

> grind into adolescence. And if the bruxism is caused by stress, it

> will continue until the stress is relieved.

>

> Preventing Bruxism

> Because some bruxism is a child's natural reaction to growth and

> development, most cases can't be prevented. Stress-induced bruxism

> can be avoided, however, by talking with kids regularly about their

> feelings and helping them deal with stress.

>

> Reviewed by: A. Goss, RDH, BS, and Charlie J. Inga, DDS

> Date reviewed: September 2007

> Originally reviewed by: A. Goss, RDH, BS, and Garrett B. Lyons,

> DDS

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(a bite guard and occlusal splints is the same thing)

>

> Occlusal splints for treating sleep bruxism (tooth grinding)

> By: Macedo CR, Silva AB, Machado MA, Saconato H, Prado GF

> The Cochrane Collaboration

> October 17, 2007

>

> Abstract

> Background

> Sleep bruxism is an oral activity characterised by teeth grinding or

> clenching during sleep. Several treatments for sleep bruxism have

> been proposed such as pharmacological, psychological, and dental.

>

> Objectives

> To evaluate the effectiveness of occlusal splints for the treatment

> of sleep bruxism with alternative interventions, placebo or no

> treatment.

>

> Search strategy

> We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register (to May

> 2007); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)

> (The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 1); MEDLINE (1966 to May 2007);

> EMBASE (1980 to May 2007); LILACS (1982 to May 2007); Biblioteca

> Brasileira de Odontologia (1982 to May 2007); Dissertation, Theses

> and Abstracts (1981 to May 2007); and handsearched abstracts of

> particular importance to this review. Additional reports were

> identified from the reference lists of retrieved reports and from

> article reviews about treating sleep bruxism. There were no language

> restrictions.

>

> Selection criteria

> We selected randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials (RCTs),

> in which splint therapy was compared concurrently to no treatment,

> other occlusal appliances, or any other intervention in participants

> with sleep bruxism.

>

> Data collection and analysis

> Data extraction was carried out independently and in duplicate.

> Validity assessment of the included trials was carried out at the

> same time as data extraction. Discrepancies were discussed and a

> third review author consulted. The author of the primary study was

> contacted when necessary.

>

> Main results

> Thirty-two potentially relevant RCTs were identified. Twenty-four

> trials were excluded. Five RCTs were included. Occlusal splint was

> compared to: palatal splint, mandibular advancement device,

> transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation, and no treatment. There

> was just one common outcome (arousal index) which was combined in a

> meta-analysis. No statistically significant differences between the

> occlusal splint and control groups were found in the meta-analyses.

>

> Authors' conclusions

> There is not sufficient evidence to state that the occlusal splint is

> effective for treating sleep bruxism. Indication of its use is

> questionable with regard to sleep outcomes, but it may be that there

> is some benefit with regard to tooth wear. This systematic review

> suggests the need for further investigation in more controlled RCTs

> that pay attention to method of allocation, outcome assessment, large

> sample size, and sufficient duration of follow up. The study design

> must be parallel, in order to eliminate the bias provided by studies

> of cross-over type. A standardisation of the outcomes of the

> treatment of sleep bruxism should be established in the RCTs.

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~archives

>

>

> In the archives many times tooth grinding is reported as one of

> those " bad signs " once the child starts the fish oils that is really

> a good sign. Again for some reason this comes up lots when parents

> start the child on the oils so much of the archives point to that.

>

>

> Re: 3 yr old grinding teeth

>

>

> Could be (again) ...normal -read on/archive:

>

> Re: Pro-EFA (teeth grinding)

>

>

> Kristie this too has come up many times before so have some answers

> below in archives. For a better idea however can you please let us

> know why 2 a day vs one a day of ProEFA for a 2 year old? For a 4

> year old or older I would understand even starting at 2 a day -but

> not at 2. Not that anything you see is " bad " but you may just want

> to cut down on his dosage a bit to one a day. Or...

>

> Did he already hit the first plateau (around 3-6 month time range)

> so you raised him to 2? If so how long ago did you raise him? Have you

> always noticed the teeth grinding etc. since any ProEFA? How long

> has he been taking ProEFA? Why don't you give both together in the

> AM?

>

> Yes I was the child that always asked why! Anyway -below are some

> archives to help show you that 'you are far from alone'!

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

> Date: Sun May 29, 2005 4:33 pm

> Subject: Re: reading all the posts of nail biting - what about teeth

> grinding

>

> It's normal to worry -but most of us don't have to worry about tooth

> grinding in young children or do anything to try to stop it.

> Besides -we again can't always assume there are negative reasons

> when it may be a normal stage -or even a reason for it in regards to

> later speech.

>

> Just a quick note before the archive. We went out on the boat to

> the beach today with another family with kids in our neighborhood

> who we get together with all the time. Before we did that however

> we all went out to breakfast -and Tanner asked if he can drive back

> with Mark (neighbor) because he has a convertible -everyone else

> went in our car. At the beach today Mark asked me and Glenn " You

> know I never noticed before but when Tanner was talking to me today

> in the car (he then paused like he didn't know how to ask

> this)....does he have some type of speech problem? " We had never

> said anything -and he only noticed it today! We explained for the

> first time what apraxia was. He then said he had no idea because

> that when Tanner talked to him before it was never a long

> conversation like today. Guess he thought we'd take that in a bad

> way that he asked -but I'm thrilled he didn't notice till today!

> Wow! (Now of course however I want him to be able to talk for long

> periods of time and for people not to notice then either!)

>

> And back on topic -yes Tanner was a tooth grinder -but as it says

> below -without doing anything, changing anything -it just stopped.

> (Just as my dentist friend said it would when I was all worried

> about it!)

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~start of archive

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

> Date: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:44 am

> Subject: Re: [ ]bruxism (tooth grinding)

> Hi Giseli!

>

> Apraxia and tooth grinding? There is no direct connection that

> anyone knows for sure -just theories. It has come up as a subject

> in the past, but not much.

>

> I know you had Igor on EFAs (two ProEFA) first for four days -then

> for one -and each time reported some bad behavior and stopped.

> Tooth grinding may be another exploration side effect or it could

> just be developmental. I have an archive on this below. BTW -is

> Igor now on any EFAs? Steady? If so what formula and any changes?

> Did you try just one -or 1/2 capsule/ProEFA Jr.?

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~start if archive

>

> It's apparent your child has some oral motor issues and the tooth

> grinding, which is not unusual in children as you will read below -

> may instead/in addition be an exploratory stage due to improvements

> from

> therapies (both traditional as well as complimentary ones like

> EFAs) As always -what we view as a " bad " thing may in fact be a

> sign of good things to come!

>

> " Believe it or not -this one is in the archives. This was considered

> > yet another 'bad sign' that is really a good sign. Some children

> > never fully

> > go through the teething stage which is a healthy part of oral

> > exploration

> > important for

> > developing speech.

> http://www.feeding.com/images/Oral%20Exploration.PDF

>

> May want to keep us posted in the weeks ahead!

>

> Here is an archive on this that may help:

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

> Date: Sat Dec 20, 2003 9:48 pm

> Subject: Re: New here and feeling guilty

>

> Hi Kim!

>

> The aspect of tooth grinding in your message caught my eye -and I

> have two archives on that below. Sometimes what we view as a bad

> thing could really be a good thing as we talked about with late

> teething.

>

> (archive)

> " I don't know exactly why your child is moving her mouth in unusual

> positions, or groping -however to me any changes outside the norm

> when you start your child on the EFAs is a great sign that something

> is clicking and that the surge may be soon approaching. (Please let

> us know when you see the surge in speech in the next week or two!)

>

> Since I receive lots of calls about this -I wanted to list the most

> common changes in an apraxic or other speech disordered child on

> EFAs from what I've read and heard and seen.

>

> 1. Increase in babbling or attempts at sounds.

> 2. Increase in imitation.

> Changes also can be looked for in (what you see as positive or

> negative)

> sleep

> attention

> appetite

> focus

> behavior

> stools

>

> Next will come a breakthrough of something you were probably working

> on for a bit -so you will be excited but will think " Well -I don't

> want to get my hopes up we were working on that for awhile now -

> maybe it's just a coincidence " However after the second or third

> surge in a short period of time -and then another - you are pretty

> sure things are different and it's at this point the professionals

> and the rest of the family and your friends are noticing it too -

> maybe about two to three weeks now.

>

> OK -the next stage is pure elation and hope -you see the light and

> no longer feel as desperate and want to share this new information

> with everyone and anyone. As the months go by and your child

> continues to progress at a much more rapid rate -you may even start

> to doubt the original diagnosis -especially if you started EFA

> supplementation at two -and perhaps the SLP that diagnosed the

> apraxia who also was at first excited is starting to second guess if

> the original diagnosis was correct as well. Unless you have to stop

> the ProEFA (or other Essential Fatty Acid) and literally have the

> chance to see the regression of acquired speech and language skills,

> attempts, and changes in behavior like we did with Tanner (and/or

> have a chance to again witness the second surge when your child is

> put back on the EFAs) -that doubt will probably remain somewhere in

> your mind and in others around your child. So the " I told you that

> he would start talking when he was ready " comments should be

> expected of course.

>

> ...The child on ProEFA or some other EFA formula's like it no longer

> fits the criteria of the classic definition of apraxia -and yet

> doesn't fit the classic perception of what a late talker is either...

>

> ...Here is what many of us have found to be the best plan

> anecdotally...start with the basic formula, one ProEFA a day, we

> saw surges in a few days to three weeks which continued for months -

> we then reached a plateau after around 6 months. At this point we

> raised the dosage to two capsules of ProEFA a day and once again had

> those surges which lasted again for months. When we reached the

> next plateau after around a year, instead of going to three a day -

> we squeezed 1/2 to one capsule of ProEPA into the 2 capsules of

> ProEFA and for almost all of us that try -that created another surge.

>

> Over time -you may raise the dosage up higher -and you may slightly

> change the formula to raise the Omega 3 over the Omega 6 ratio -but

> you need to know your own child, keep track of his progress through

> both your own observations and that of the professionals -with the

> advice of your child's doctor -to know what is best for him/her. "

>

> Let us know if you start having surges in the next few days! I

> wouldn't be surprised. There are a few messages in the archives about

> tooth grinding -here are just two:

>

> From: " cailg547 " <aigjr@...>

> Date: Fri Sep 13, 2002 11:37 am

> Subject: brain & efa's!

>

> My daughter had her second brain MRI yesterday. The first was when

> she was 2 and 1/2 now she is 4 and 1/2. The first one showed that her

> myelin needed to grow some more. We started supplementing with efa's

> right after that first MRI. First efalex until she was 3 and then

> proefa. We saw results with speech on the proefa and with the efelex

> she stopped teeth grinding.

>

> The MRI yesterday showed that her myelin is not only completely

> developed but extremely so.

>

> The myelin is the outer coating of brain cells and without it the

> brain can't make connections within itself so that you can function.

> People who have MS lose myelin.

>

> This development was very important for my daughter because it was

> also discovered what I had suspected, that she has some tiny spots is

> considered brain damage probably caused by lack of oxygen while she

> was in the birth canal too long (over 4 hours).

>

> It was explained to me that without the myelin the brain would not be

> able to find alternative routes to learn to do what that spot would

> have been responsible for.

>

> The pediatric radiologist said that they believe that most people

> stop producing myelin at age 3-3 1/2 but with efa's myelin can keep

> being produced!

>

> Carolyn aigjr@...

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

> From: "

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...