My son is grinding his teeth. How do I get him to stop?

Two to three of every 10 kids grind their teeth. However, most will outgrow this habit by the age of six, or by the time all the permanent teeth have come in. The reasons for teeth grinding, or bruxism, are unconfirmed. Some children may develop the habit as a reaction to growing pains or times of stress. Help your child settle into a consistent and relaxing bedtime routine to ease potential anxieties due to changes at home or stressors at school. This can include a massage or stretching routine to relax the muscles, followed by a bedtime story. Teeth grinding can also result from improper alignment of the baby teeth. Schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist to see if misalignment is an issue. Most often, however, teeth grinding will simply disappear on its own.