Question
What’s the situation with a child grinding their teeth while napping at night?
Answer
Grinding teeth while napping at night in children can be due to factors such as excessive emotional tension, excitement, fatigue, and being frightened, which may lead to irregularities in the excitation or inhibition process of the cerebral cortex, thereby triggering night grinding. Additionally, overeating, indigestion, and toxins produced by bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract can also affect the cerebral cortex, potentially causing a loss of balance in the excitation and inhibition of the cerebral cortex, leading to night grinding. Severe night grinding can accelerate the regional wear of teeth, leading to damage to periodontal tissues, muscle fatigue in the masticatory muscles, and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. Therefore, it is important to actively prevent and treat this condition.