Night grinding (nocturnal bruxism)* is a very common occurrence in children. It is possible that it could be caused by the stresses of everyday life which is new to a child. Some theories include attempting to open up the middle ear to equalize the pressure. Regardless of the cause, most childhood grinding does not need to be treated. A majority of the cases tend to clear up as the child gets older. I have seen many cases where a child has ground their baby teeth down to little numbs only to end up with a fully healthy set of permanent teeth. The first line of defense for night grinding in an adult is the construction of a nightguard. However, a child is actively growing and wearing a nightguard can stunt the growth of the roof of the mouth, causing more problems in the future than there would have been with no treatment. So if you go into your child’s room at night and hear sounds of gnashing teeth reverberating off the walls, don’t be too concerned.