1. Deferred Muscular Pain Can Be a Sign of Bruxism
The jaw-clenching and atypical grinding of the teeth that identify bruxism can damage or strain facial muscles. Children with bruxism tend to complain not only of jaw and cheek pain, but also of other facial pain. Headaches and earaches that don't seem to have any other identifiable cause could very well be related to tight jaw muscles. When your child grinds his teeth, the repetitive motion affects the muscles that connect to his ear and the muscles in his head. These ongoing muscle contractions create earaches and a sensation not unlike a tension headache.
2. Worn Down, Sensitive Teeth Can Indicate Bruxism
Watch for signs of tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, and keep an eye on your child's molars. Bruxism takes a heavy toll on teeth, wearing and flattening them down and causing a loss of enamel. Since this loss of enamel can expose the fragile dentin of your child's teeth, she may complain that her gums hurt when she eats ice cream or drinks hot chocolate. Chipped or broken teeth can also be related to the disorder, so if your child says she doesn't know how her tooth broke, believe her -- she probably doesn't!
3. Sudden Nighttime Awakening Can Be Connected to Bruxism
Though children can rarely identify that they are engaging in teeth-grinding behavior, it can sometimes be severe enough to wake them -- and you -- up at night. It's not necessarily the feel of the tightened jaw muscles that wakes them up; it's usually the sounds related to the disorder. The sounds of bruxism are unmistakable. In addition to hearing the sound of teeth grinding against each other, you'll frequently hear the odd and goosebump-inducing squeak of tooth enamel rubbing together. Your child may also be awakened by the sound of his tongue clucking, since, as his jaw muscles clench together, his tongue is forced to the roof of his mouth and relaxes with a wet, smacking sound.
4. Chewed-Up Cheeks Identify Bruxism Behavior
Scars on the inside of your child's cheeks, bitten lips and a propensity to bite the inside of her cheek during mealtimes are all identifiers of bruxism. If your child's most frequent dinnertime complaint is "I bit that spot on the inside of my mouth again," it's likely that the insides of her cheeks are damaged from nighttime teeth grinding. Check her mouth for uneven layers of skin or cuts that don't seem to heal. She may be chewing them while she sleeps.
5. Other Oral Fixations Are Connected to Bruxism
Thumb suckers, nail biters and pencil chewers may not simply feel the need to chew on something: These habits are often correlated with bruxism. It's a way to release some of the muscle tension found in tight jaw and mouth muscles. The good news is that most children give up these habits at the same time, usually between 6 and 9 years of age.
