WHY DO MANY AUTISTIC CHILDREN GRIND THEIR TEETH?
Hello Everyone,
Many parents notice that their child grinds their teeth during sleep, periods of stress, excitement, or even throughout the day without an obvious reason.
Bruxism (teeth grinding) is significantly more common in children with autism than in neurotypical children. While it is often viewed as a dental issue, it may actually reflect deeper biological processes involving the nervous system, sleep, sensory regulation, inflammation, gastrointestinal health, nutrition, and overall neuroimmune function.
We have published a new Autism Navigator post:
🦷 Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) in Autistic Children: Understanding the Mechanism and Treatment Approaches
In this post, we discuss:
why many autistic children grind their teeth,
the role of sensory dysregulation and oral sensory seeking,
how sleep disorders may contribute,
the possible effects of neuroinflammation and chronic infections,
gastrointestinal factors such as reflux and constipation,
nutritional deficiencies that may worsen symptoms,
and practical approaches that may help reduce bruxism by addressing underlying causes.
Understanding why a child grinds their teeth is often the first step toward finding meaningful solutions.