Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 214737

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Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress

Posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 13:11:28

I grind my teeth every night and use a mouth guard to prevent me from ruining my teeth anymore than I already have. I think it probably is stress(possibly slight depression too?) related.

I think I started about 7 years ago when a girlfriend of mine broke up with and has been continuing ever since. Has anyone had this problem and figured out a way to solve it? Possibly a certain medication my help?

I think the grinding may be preventing me from getting into a deep sleep. I seem to need a lot of sleep around 9.5 hrs at the very least to feel somewhat decent. It would great if I could stop grinding my teeth for this reason, not to mention it would save my teeth and prevent my TMJ from worsening

 

TMJ » GregCo

Posted by beardedlady on March 31, 2003, at 13:19:31

In reply to Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 13:11:28

I have had TMJ dysfunction since before it was discovered! Really, my doctor was on the "cutting edge" of medicine and diagnosed this in me back in 1989. I was having excruciating headaches.

I got a night guard. I got some ridiculous TEMS machine (electrical impulses) that insurance paid $1,000 for and that never worked, and I took a lot of ibuprofen. I also used prednisone for four days to get the inflamation down.

I got TMJ when I quit smoking. Eventually, I started smoking again, and it went away for a long time. It came back when I quit each time. Now I have it again, but not as bad. Some nights I clench, and some nights I don't.

I don't know of anything that can be done about it. Best suggestion is the removal of stress or the beginning of smoking! (Just kidding on both counts, as the first is impossible, and the second is stupid.)

Good luck.

beardy : )>

 

Re: TMJ

Posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 14:32:12

In reply to TMJ » GregCo, posted by beardedlady on March 31, 2003, at 13:19:31

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping for something that would help me relax before I went to sleep or something that would put me into a deep sleep that wasn't habit forming.

I've read about hypnosis possibly helping but I don't really know where to start in that area.

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress

Posted by Larry Hoover on March 31, 2003, at 18:54:02

In reply to Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 13:11:28

> I grind my teeth every night and use a mouth guard to prevent me from ruining my teeth anymore than I already have. I think it probably is stress(possibly slight depression too?) related.
>
> I think I started about 7 years ago when a girlfriend of mine broke up with and has been continuing ever since. Has anyone had this problem and figured out a way to solve it? Possibly a certain medication my help?

This may seem like a trivial exercise, but I assure you it has had a great and lasting impact for me. I am a life-long bruxist, and it runs in my family (so I suspect there's a genetic component). There are behavioural correlates as well, though.

Most bruxists tend to hold measurable tension in their jaw muscles during the day. You're probably not aware of it, but there's a tendency to clench the teeth a little bit. If you can break that habit, you'll also reduce the tendency to clench at night.

All you need to do is consciously create a slight gap between your teeth. This requires you to loosen the tension in the jaw muscles. Then, widen your tongue a bit, enough that it slightly extends between your teeth on both sides. It'll feel weird, but you're not likely to bite your tongue or anything. Do this any time in the day that you think of it, and especially when you're in bed waiting to go to sleep. Some bruxists stop bruxing altogether with this technique. I seldom brux any more.

Another thing is, don't chew gum. It undoes all the relaxation created by the above technique.

Lar

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress

Posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 23:52:13

In reply to Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by Larry Hoover on March 31, 2003, at 18:54:02

Thanks for the Advice Lar, but I'm pretty sure I don't have that problem. I'll try it out though! It could very well help out, especially before I got to sleep. The funny thing is my front teeth hit before my back teeth, they're pretty much even with my bottom teeth, so I've got to really be moving my jaw to get to my back teeth!!

-Greg

 

Re: TMJ

Posted by cybercafe on April 1, 2003, at 0:06:18

In reply to TMJ » GregCo, posted by beardedlady on March 31, 2003, at 13:19:31

> I have had TMJ dysfunction since before it was discovered! Really, my doctor was on the "cutting edge" of medicine and diagnosed this in me back in 1989. I was having excruciating headaches.
>
> I got a night guard. I got some ridiculous TEMS machine (electrical impulses) that insurance paid $1,000 for and that never worked, and I took a lot of ibuprofen. I also used prednisone for four days to get the inflamation down.

i'm curious about this night guard .. do you have to wear anything during the day?
my dentist told me if mine doesn't resolve on it's own, i might end up wearing a ... splint? ... which is something you have to wear 24/7

 

Re: TMJ

Posted by GregCo on April 1, 2003, at 0:16:53

In reply to Re: TMJ, posted by cybercafe on April 1, 2003, at 0:06:18

I just wear a night guard at night myself because that's when I do the grinding and it helps protect my sleep. I don't think it helps TMJ though.

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress » Larry Hoover

Posted by IsoM on April 1, 2003, at 0:23:05

In reply to Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by Larry Hoover on March 31, 2003, at 18:54:02

Would you believe, Larry, I can clench my jaw without my teeth ever touching? I taught myself to be aware of jaw clenching & purposely wouldn't let my teeth touch. Then I found that I'd 'learned' how to tighten my jaw muscles with my teeth apart. Ingrained habits acquire a physical memory. I now have to watch for jaw tightness & let my lower jaw sag a little - not enough to look stupid but to relax it. It's something that I need to be aware of always.

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably str

Posted by baracuda on April 1, 2003, at 0:58:25

In reply to Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 13:11:28

im experiencing severe bruxism on lexapro - and i had it also with prozac, but never prior to the AD. the other day after breakfast a part of my back molar fell out when i was eeating ceraeal! :(

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably str

Posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 7:26:20

In reply to Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably str, posted by baracuda on April 1, 2003, at 0:58:25

I started grinding my teeth while on Zoloft with a supplementary dose of Wellbutrin. I was also in a tremendously stressful time. So who knows...

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably str

Posted by noa on April 1, 2003, at 19:19:38

In reply to Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably str, posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 7:26:20

I believe I have always had a teeth grinding problem, but I only noticed the jaw clenching after I started taking meds like Paxil and Effexor.

 

Re: Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress » GregCo

Posted by Simcha on April 2, 2003, at 18:17:47

In reply to Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) problems probably stress , posted by GregCo on March 31, 2003, at 13:11:28

I've had bruxism and restless legs my entire life. Celexa and Wellbutrin made them much worse. At first my first pdoc prescribed Klonopin at 1mg at night for this. It worked well.

When I got my 2nd pdoc he was concerned that I was using Klonopin for only bruxism and restless legs. He suggested that I switch to Neurontin. Since I've worked up to 600mg of Neurontin at night I have no bruxism or restless legs and my sleep is better than when I was on Klonopin.

Also, Neurontin seems to provide some sort of background mood stability that adds to the effects of the Celexa and the Wellbutrin.

A mouth guard would not work for me. My problem was that the jaw muscles would be aching so bad that I could not chew. I would have chewed on a mouth guard and I would have found it difficult to sleep with one in my mouth.

 

Re: TMJ

Posted by Alisha on June 17, 2004, at 21:33:16

In reply to Re: TMJ, posted by GregCo on April 1, 2003, at 0:16:53

I've had TMJ for the past four and a half years. Within that span of time, I've been put on medications as well as splint/mouth guard therapy. A splint and mouth guard are the same thing, though the duration it stays in one's mouth is dictated by one's physical pain and doctor recommendation. I just wear mine at night and receive the greatest amount of muscle-tension relief. The jaw joints themselves do not stop hurting, but there is a considerable difference in the quality of sleep I get by using the splint. As for the medications to control the pain...they help but the side effects are not pleasant. Right now I'm on 4800 mg of Neurontin, 60 mg of Baclofen, 40 mg Adderall, 25 mg Vioxx, 120 mg Inderall, and 30 mg Remeron. The Neurontin, Baclofen, and Vioxx help with TMJ pain; Adderall counteracts the side effects of Neurontin and Baclofen; Inderall alleviates daily headaches associated with my TMJ pain; and the Remeron helps with sleeping and depression (mostly due to chronic TMJ pain). When it is severe enough to require surgery, as mine is, things get a little more complicated than 'it comes and goes' TMJ pain.

 

Redirect: TMJ

Posted by Dr. Bob on June 22, 2004, at 7:20:53

In reply to Re: TMJ, posted by Alisha on June 17, 2004, at 21:33:16

> I've had TMJ for the past four and a half years...

Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to redirect follow-ups regarding TMJ to Psycho-Babble Health. Here's a link:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20040523/msgs/358915.html

Thanks,

Bob


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