Totally agree with you on the excitement factor. My daughter went through a similar phase around 8 or 9, and at first, I brushed it off thinking she'd just grow out of it. But then our dentist explained that even mild grinding can eventually wear down enamel or cause jaw discomfort. Honestly, I was hesitant about the mouthguard at first—mostly because of the cost—but we found a pretty affordable one online that you mold yourself at home. It wasn't fancy, but it did the trick and saved us from pricier dental work later on.
Also, something else that helped was creating a calming bedtime routine before big events. Nothing complicated—just reading together or listening to some quiet music seemed to ease her anticipation a bit. Kids definitely pick up on excitement and stress more than we realize sometimes... Glad you're paying attention and taking action early; it'll save headaches (literally!) down the road.
We went through something similar with my son around age 7. At first, I thought it was just a phase too, but after a few months he started complaining about headaches in the morning. Our dentist mentioned the same thing—enamel wear and jaw tension. We tried the DIY mouthguard route as well, and honestly, it worked better than I expected. Also, totally agree on the bedtime routine...we found that limiting screen time before bed made a noticeable difference in reducing his grinding. Glad you caught it early, definitely worth addressing sooner rather than later.
We had similar issues, but honestly, the DIY mouthguard didn't really cut it for us. It kept slipping out, and my daughter complained it was uncomfortable. Ended up getting a custom one from the dentist—bit pricier, but headaches stopped almost immediately. Guess mileage varies...
Yeah, same experience here. Tried a couple of DIY ones—just couldn't get a comfy fit and woke up with jaw soreness anyway. Dentist-made guard made a huge difference, though it did take a few nights to get used to sleeping with it...worth it overall.
Did your dentist guard help with headaches too, or just jaw soreness? My daughter grinds her teeth pretty badly, and we've tried a couple of store-bought guards—total fail, lol. She complains they're uncomfortable and spits them out halfway through the night anyway. Wondering if it's worth going the dentist route...sounds like it might be. Did insurance cover yours, or was it out-of-pocket?