Answer: It is not uncommon for toddlers to grind their teeth at night. In fact, about 35% of children do grind their teeth according to some studies. There may be a variety of reasons responsible for their teeth grinding, including: teething pain, malocclusion (when teeth are not meeting properly), and just simply their trying to get used to the new sensation of having teeth. The average age when the grinding may start is at 3 years old, and usually ending by the age of 6. This grinding is not very likely to result in any real damage to their teeth, but you should mention it to your child’s dentist to prevent any possible problems from arising.

Although the noise can become quite disturbing, you may just have to wait a period of time for your child to grow out of it. Older children may be fitted with a night guard appliance, although they will probably need to go through a few of them as their teeth and jaws continue to grow.

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Question: What causes teeth to get shorter over time?

Answer: People don’t often notice the subtle wearing down of their tooth structure, which over time can amount to a huge change in the appearance of their smile. Just like you may not notice the sole of your shoe wearing down until you see the hole, your bite can collapse in much the same way. Severe wearing down of the teeth’s outer layer (enamel) is often the result from grinding or bruxing of the teeth. Acidic conditions (such as acid reflux, bulimia, etc.) can also act to weaken the tooth structure accelerating this wear. Severe wear may become evident on the front teeth, the back teeth or on both, depending on the way one grinds. Excessive wear in the back of the mouth translates to even more wear in the front as the bite collapses. When the front teeth are affected, the teeth start to get more translucent at the top edges, and start to chip away. As these front teeth continue to wear down, and the teeth become shorter, the face begins to take on a much older appearance.

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Roughly sixty million Americans have been diagnosed with TMJ syndrome. For that reason it is a commonly heard term, but not many people know what it is and how it can be treated. The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is a joint that attaches the lower jaw to your skull. Symptoms such as frequent headaches or a popping sound coming from the jaw may be a result of the TMJ not functioning properly. This could be due to one or more of the following having been adversely affected: your chewing muscles, joints, ligaments or surrounding bones. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of one’s TMJ syndrome. It may be the result of a traumatic accident or a disease such as arthritis.

The most common causes, however, are clenching and grinding of one’s teeth, which can tire and strain the chewing muscles, causing them to go into spasm and cause pain. An improper bite can also result in TMJ dysfunction. Among the symptoms are: headaches (usually upon awakening), tenderness or fatigue of the jaw muscles, earaches, and pain or difficulty when chewing, yawning or opening wide. Clicking or popping sounds are very common signs, and in some extreme cases the jaw can actually get stuck in the open or closed position.