To help you better understand teeth grinding, we have provided information on the causes, risks, and treatments associated with bruxism:

Causes
There are many things that can cause teeth grinding. Some of the causes include stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, an abnormal bite, missing teeth, or crooked teeth. For children, causes generally involve irritations in the mouth, allergies, and teeth misalignments. Even though teeth grinding is a very scary habit and it should be treated immediately, children tend to grow out of the habit by the time they are teens.

Risks
If you do not treat this dangerous habit, your teeth could be severely damaged. You will also suffer from dull headaches, jaw soreness, loose teeth, and fractured chompers.

Treatments
Treatments for the teeth-grinding habit vary depending on the cause. Generally, night guards are the first treatment offered. Night guards should be worn while you sleep so when you clench and grind your teeth, your smile will be protected. Another treatment is relaxation medicine. This medicine will help you relax, which will help you avoid clenching and grinding. Other treatments include orthodontics, counseling, and exercise.

If you have any questions or if you would like to talk to Dr. Joseph Szymczak about your chances of participating in this habit, please call MI Roots Family Dental today and schedule an appointment. All you need to do is dial 616-453-0002 and we will be there to help you. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post All About Teeth Grinding first appeared on MI Roots Family Dental.

Did you know that when you brush you only clean approximately 25% of your mouth? This is one of the reasons mouthwash is so useful. Aside from fighting bad breath, mouthwash can reach different areas of your mouth, and provide a variety of benefits.

For example, some mouthwashes contain alcohol that that kills bacteria faster and more thoroughly than some mouthwashes, though it can cause a burning sensation. Other mouthwashes have fluoride to fight against cavities, and some are designed specifically for children.

Similarly, a tongue scraper is mostly useful for removing bacteria that can cause bad breath. While some people may clean their tongue with a toothbrush, many others find it uncomfortable. Tongue scrapers also come in different sizes because wide tongue scrapers may trigger gag reflex.

But please remember, if you have chronic bad breath, you may be dealing with gum disease and you may need help from a dentist.

Would you like to learn more about what you can do to care for your smile? Are you interested in learning more about how you can hold off gum disease? Would you like to schedule an appointment with our team? If so, please feel free to contact us today. We are excited to hear from you.

The post Mouthwash, Tongue Scrapers, and Your Smile first appeared on MI Roots Family Dental.

• Cover their hand when they go to bed with a sock or a bitter medicine that is recommended by your dentist. This stems the thumb-sucking that children do to fall asleep.
• Don’t say anything about the thumb-sucking if you think your child continues to do it only because they want attention.
• Using a pacifier causes the same damage as thumb-sucking, but is an easier habit to break. Wean your child from sucking their thumb to sucking a pacifier, and work from there.
• Discover what is giving your child anxiety. Thumb-sucking gives children a sense of security, so try to get rid of the triggers for anxious feelings and give your child comfort.
• Give your child positive encouragement and praise in stopping their habit. This works better than negative pressure.
• See you dentist and have him explain to your child why thumb-sucking is so bad for their teeth.

The post Ways To Stop A Thumb-Sucking Habit In Your Child first appeared on MI Roots Family Dental.