Grinding Teeth

[alaysha]

Aspen keeps grinding her teeth and it is driving me insane. I keep giving her things to put into her mouth so that she wont grind them because I think that it could be causing damage and dont want it to become a permanent habit. Does anyone know of anything to get babies to stop grinding teeth?

[BTS1022]

Ah the good ol' *im pushing mommies button* factor lol. That could be aswell. Don't feel bad to tell her to stop or no in a firm voice, sometimes it's hard but well needed. My boys including my DH test mommies buttons everyday. Like today, my youngest who KNOWS not to hit daddies big screen tv.....kept looking at me all weird and trying to touch it as if thinking *is she gonna do it, is she gonna say something* lmao.

If you tried the toy approach, and the nice approach, then it won't hurt to try the firm approach.

And KJbutcher isso right, that things like this makes being a parent hard. I remember the first time I yelled at my youngest son....I literally cried for 2 hours, even though I knew that it had to be done, and it was best. I fully believe that kids with dicipline have a sense of security than those who are allowed to run rampent.

[kjbutcher]

haha such a lovely stage isnt it?  It is hard that they go through the testing stage and the no impulse control stage at the same time.  That makes things as a parent pretty hard.

[alaysha]

Yeah see every time I'm like "Aspen what are you doing?!" in a happy voice she laughs and then does it more. I think she is also testing the "don't do that" thing.

[BTS1022]

My 2 year old son used to grind his teeth, and it is a normal thing babies do especially if teething. Usually they stop on their own and it doesn't become a habit, but a lot of times it does. We helped break my son of the habit by distracting him everytime he did it. Instead of giving him a toy or something to chew on, we made him talk or make noises. Like we caught him doing it in the car one day, so we had him recite his ABC's to us and sing nursery songs.

Most of the time babies don't realize they are even doing it, they just do it. I think if you stay consistant as much as possible with distracting her or say *what are you doing* in a nice happy but loud playful tone, she will eventually stop. Although if she is anything like my son, he does it now to get our attention, which drives us up the wall lol.

Sometimes being a parent there is no win win solution lol, you just have to find what works to keep her mind off of it, every baby is different.

[ashiepooh]

Also, my daughter is 2 1/2 and never did it before until she hit 2 when her breathing became a problem.  But the tonsil and adnoid thing is a genetic thing that runs in my DH.  So i'm not saying that's why your daughter is doing it.  That's just my case.

[kjbutcher]

ugh it is gross isnt it.  It is like nails on a chalk board.  Unfortunately all babys do it.  I cant remember exactly when AJ stopped but I think it was right before his first birthday.  he went through stages.  he would do it all day every day and stop for a while. I would think it was over and then he would start again.  His bottom teeth are obviously "used" already, but no one would notice.  It is just something I check out on a regular basis...I'm weird, I know.

[babyscience]

Ewww, Ethan has done it a few times.  I think it is somewhat naturally since they have new found things in their mouths.  I will probably take Ethan to a dentist around 1 year old, I have heard you should bring them in around that age.  So you can ask your ped or a dentist if there could be any long term habits of this.

[ashiepooh]

Your doctor could tell you and probably give you a few hinters!  I've noticed my daughter does it while sleeping, but the doctor and I believe it's because her tonsils and adnoids are huge, and she can barely breath.  She is having them removed in January.  So ask her doctor!!