Kids and TMJ

You don't say how old your son is but is he on any medications? I recently discovered that the Zoloft that I have been taking has jaw clenching as a side effect. I have been cutting down my doseage for the last 10 days and I can already tell a huge difference!!!
You could look into getting a bite guard for your son to wear at night. Ask your dentist about it. I have been told that teeth grinding can injure the roots of your teeth and lead to a serious dental issues.

i believe alot of people grind their teeth at night... that has nothing to do with TMJ.

Those two are different issues. Teeth grinding can lead to problems (usually wearing down of the teeth prematurely), There are many night teeth grinders out there (adults and kids) who have perfectly fine teeth. Those who are proactive can get a night guard from the dentist.

FYI - I used an over the counter night guard from a pharmacy and it actually gave me TMJ - and that's only after wearing it for a few months :( , so if you get a night guard, I would highly recommend shelling out the extra dollars and getting it done by a professional.

I have TMJ and the doctor found it when I was in 2nd. So it has been awhile now,lol. It cause pain that felt just like ear infections, jaw will try to lock up, and you can hear the jaw grind when I open it some times. If this is what your son has than anything chewy is a no go. Like gum is the first thing the doctor told my M. to keep away from me. You do not want to chew to much because it makes it worse. Grinding my teeth comes with being stressed and trying to deal with things not my TMJ so much. I hope your son gets better.

TMJ does not cause grinding, the grinding can cause TMJ. But honestly, many kids grind their teeth at night -ask your pediatrician. My son does it and my DDS said he will most likely grow out of it. He does it less and less each year. I had TMJ due to me sleeping with my hand under my left cheek, it pushed my jaw to the right and caused a lot of pain plus my jaw did not line up correctly. The DDS wanted to charge me a lot of money and a year's worth of treatment. I just stopped sleeping with my hand under my cheek and my jaw readjusted - that was FREE!

Hi, A:
Children grind their teeth out of stress. Contact your dentist and obtain some mouth guards to protect the teeth.
Good luck. D.