Should we see make a special visit to the dentist about our six year old's teeth grinding? bruxism runs in our family, but i've also heard that if a child is this young, then teeth grinding might not be a huge concern.

You : You have read correctly that grinding in children is not something to be overly worried about. Appliances for bruxism are not usually made for children, so let's hope he slowly grows out of the habit. As an adult when his secondary teeth come in, if he is still grinding then a bruxism appliance would be in order. Hope this info helps.

Clarkston, No : Clarkston, no special visit to the dentist is needed for your six year old because of bruxism. This is a normal and common issue. It is almost always only with adult teeth do we have any concern with grinding and/or clenching. The simple fact that your child will not have to keep their baby teeth for the next 80 or so years is the difference. Hope this is helpful, michael i. Wollock, dmd, agd fellow dentistry at suburban square 610-649-0313 www.Dentistryatsuburbansquare.Com.

Don't worry: Kids grind teeth for 2 reasons. 1. Jaws grow indifferent places on different days, so kids grind to try to make teeth fit better, and 2. They back up the "computer" every night, processing all the wonderful things they learned during the day. Mention the grinding to your dentist at your child's next regular ck-up. Also @ age 7 1st orthodontic ck-up.

Another thought: All the previous answers about growth and development are absolutely correct. Bruxism is common. However if your child also snores a lot and seems tired during the day, or has problems concentrating, then this can be a sleep apnea problem and this needs to be evaluated. Tonsils are the most common cause.