Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) is defined as a grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep or waking hours. Teeth grinding is a Parasomnia. A Parasomnia is described as “an unpleasant or undesirable behavioral or experiential phenomena that occurs predominantly during the sleep period” (Mahowald, Chokroverty, Kader, & Schenck, 1997, p. 67). Simply stated, parasomnias like teeth grinding are unusual movements or behaviors during sleep, many of which occur when the child is transitioning from the deepest sleep level of Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep into Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. It is believed that the parasomnia occurs when the child gets “stuck” between level 4 of NREM sleep (slow wave or deep sleep) and REM (dream state) sleep. As a result, the brain is not transitioning smoothly from one sleep stage to another. However, teeth grinding can occur throughout the night.

Teeth grinding occurs in approximately 7-to-88% of people (Attanasio, 1991). With such a vast difference in reports of prevalence rates, it appears uncertain as to how many people experience teeth grinding!

Most parasomnias are not harmful and are often outgrown. However, if teeth grinding is occurring frequently, it can wear down the enamel on your child’s teeth and cause dental problems.

If your child or adolescent is grinding his/her teeth often, you can click the button below to SCREEN your child or teen for this problem and other common pediatric sleep disorders. This screening report will give you intervention ideas and information about treatment possibilities for teeth grinding or other major pediatric sleep disorder. Please click onto ”SCREEN CHILD” below to screen your child with the Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students (for use by parents of children between 2 years and 19 years) and get valuable intervention ideas.