Son Grinding Teeth When Eating

M.,

It sounds like your little man just has a sensitive mouth right now from his teething. I would limit the types of solids I gave to my boys when they were babies while they were teething. Frozen waffles are fantastic dual purpose foods! They are cold, which my boys loved, and they're tasty as well as the fact that they melt in their mouths as they work on them. I also chilled fruits like bananas, cooked sweet potatoes, soft pieces of cantaloupe, cooked carrots, cooked apples, etc. The most important thing is to just relax and be patient, and don't push about it. The chilled or cold foods always helped my boys, and baby food was always the saving grace too! Trader Joe's has delicious banana waffles, they're healthy, and a lot better tasting then Eggo's or other supermarket brands, and a lot more inexpensive! I hope this helps you and your little man, and don't worry because this too shall pass! I know, my 4 little men are 9,6, and twins that are 4, and now I'm lucky if they chew their food at all!!! He, He!

hi M., my son is 21 months old, his teeth all started coming in almost at the same time. The pain was so unbearable for him and I trued everything until I found the best pain relief for babies.
They are cotton swabs with the pain medicine inside of them, they are easy to use and are what has been the greatest source of relied for my son. The product is at Walgreens and I am sure other stores too.

Sounnds like he is teething - tylenol and maybe a cooled teething ring. I always froze mine with liquids than let them warm up a bit and have the the liquid inside be cold but crunch.

Also, for solids you are going to have to maybe switch to other things while he teeths - such as soft foods, oatmeal, his baby foods, my son loved liverwurst at that age (I know it sounds awful, but we tried it for the protein and fat aspect for teething and it worked and its very soft), the turkey sausages in a jar (baby food) cut up into small bites - they are quite mushy. stay away from hard cheerios or goldfish - those can be hard on swollen gums.

Some babies have no problems through teething and others quite a bit - some with just their baby teeth. Comfort and love is always the best and with this one being your first - you have the blessing of just concentrating on him.

Good luck!

My little guy is the same age as yours and is doing the teeth grinding thing too. It doesn't seem to hurt him though. Sounds like yours may have some swollen gums from the teething. My favorite remedy is to put a frozen banana (or other fruit) into one of those pacifiers with the netting on them. You put the food in the little net bag and your young man can gnaw till his gums are numb. The netting keeps him from swallowing bits that are too big for him. Popsicles (I do homemade ones) and Orajel are good too.
At least you don't have a problem with the grindng. Everytime I hear that noise, it's like nails on a chalkboard for me!
Good luck,
D.

My daughter, who is now three, has been grinding her teeth for some time -- during car rides and even at night while sleeping. When I took her to the dentist about 6 months ago we discussed it, and the dentist was not worried at all. He told me that a lot of kids grind their teeth for several years before they just grow out of it. I guess the sound they make is a novelty to them. So I wouldn't worry about it.

Hi M.~
Seems like you have a good question in our hands. I would think that if he is having pain or trouble eating solids, just wait for him to be ready. It may be that this is a new thing, who says he has to start solids right now? Who says that this solid food eating thing can't wait for your little one to get more teeth? I would wait a little longer, with just teething toys, frozen preferred, and then he will feel better in time. Enjoy them first teeth, don't rush his eating habits to soon, he could hurt something and then there goes his 1st dental problems. Relax, and be patient. He will be eating solids before you know it!!!

Please stop the needless drug - tylenol. If you stop that, he may stop grinding his teeth because it hurts.

It could be that simple.