It's good you're thinking about this early. Teeth grinding can sometimes cause issues down the line—like enamel wear or jaw soreness. Did your dentist mention any visible signs yet, or was it just the noise that's concerning you? Might be worth checking in again...better safe than sorry.
Grinding teeth at night isn't something I'd ignore, honestly. Even if your dentist hasn't spotted visible damage yet, the wear can build up subtly over time. I used to grind my teeth pretty badly, and at first, my dentist didn't see much either—just mentioned it casually. But after a couple years, I started noticing sensitivity and some minor chips on my front teeth. Ended up getting a custom night guard, and it's been a game changer. If you're already aware of the grinding noise, that's usually a sign it's pretty frequent. Might be worth asking your dentist specifically about preventive measures next time you're in. Better to tackle it early than deal with costly fixes later on...
"Even if your dentist hasn't spotted visible damage yet, the wear can build up subtly over time."
Can confirm this from my kid's experience. Dentist initially said it wasn't a big deal, just something to keep an eye on. But after about a year, we noticed his teeth were visibly flatter and he started complaining about jaw soreness in the mornings. Got him fitted for a night guard—problem solved pretty quickly. Definitely glad we didn't wait longer...
Reading this makes me feel a bit better about my own situation. My dentist also said it wasn't urgent, just something to monitor, but I've been noticing some jaw tightness lately and it's making me anxious. I keep wondering if I'm imagining things or if it's actually getting worse. Hearing your experience helps validate that maybe I'm not just overthinking it. Probably better to be cautious and get a second opinion or look into a night guard sooner rather than later. Glad your kid's doing better now—thanks for sharing your story, it helps ease my mind a bit.
I totally get the anxiety part—had something similar happen to me. My dentist said it wasn't urgent either, but I ended up getting a second opinion anyway. Turned out a night guard really helped ease the jaw tightness. Have you noticed if stress makes yours worse?
