Category: teeth clenching

is adderall making me grind my teeth

Is Adderall Causing Me To Grind My Teeth at Night?

How many people in the United States are on adderall?
A quick google search says A LOT. Over 16 million people were prescribed adderall in 2012 .
How many of these people find themselves grinding their teeth at night?
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching, medically known as bruxism, can be caused by various factors including sleep disorders, occlusion, such neurological conditions as the Parkinson’s disease, lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking, stress, and the use of certain medications like amphetamines. If you’re taking adderall you should be aware of the side effects. In this post, you will find out why your teeth grinding and jaw clenching may be a result of using amphetamines like Adderall. You’ve come here to know “is Adderall causing me to grind my teeth at night?”.
Read on to also discover how you can remedy bruxism caused by amphetamines.
Amphetamines are stimulants clinically prescribed for the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Because the drugs stimulate the central nervous system, producing a performance-enhancing effect, they are frequently abused and misused. Also, legitimate long-term use of amphetamines like Adderall and Ritalin can turn to addiction. Some of the short-term effects of these drugs include feeling energized, being excited, quick reaction times, increased concentration and attentiveness, and feelings of euphoria.
The long-term side effects of amphetamines include:
•paranoia
•convulsions
•loss of coordination
•violent and obsessive behavior
•hallucinations, among others.
These effects, however, vary from person to person depending on such factors as the medical state of the user, the amphetamine dosage, and the user’s body composition.

Amphetamines and bruxism

As noted earlier, bruxism is one of the side effects of amphetamines like Adderall.

The effects of Adderall and other amphetamines on jaw clenching and teeth grinding were first discovered by Ashcroft et al. in the 1960s. The researchers found out that amphetamine addiction causes continuous teeth grinding and clenching. It was also realized that users rubbed their tongues along the inside of their lower lips. Liester et al. would later conduct research involving 20 psychiatrists who were previously on amphetamine prescriptions. Thirty percent of the subjects were found to have teeth grinding and jaw clenching as an adverse side effect of the medicine.

“Why do amphetamines cause teeth grinding and jaw clenching?”

Much research shows that amphetamines have a powerful distributive influence on an individual’s dopaminergic pathways.
This is especially the case if the user has been on the drugs for a long time. The dopaminergic system is the system which scientists believe is involved in the genesis of teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Reports from a study conducted by Arrue et al. explain that continued use of amphetamines and amphetamine-like drugs cause muscle tension. If the muscle tension happens in the head, it creates a reduction of an individual’s jaw-opening reflex, triggering jaw clenching and teeth grinding.
Continued bruxism can lead to severe dental problems including tooth (or teeth) loss, gum problems, and teeth and jaw pains. It is important to note here that if you take increased doses of Adderall and other amphetamines, their effects on bruxism can become worse. Amphetamines can also cause cardiac related issues, insomnia, and gastrointestinal conditions like diarrhea and constipation.

Combating bruxism caused by Adderall and other amphetamines

1. Invest in a high quality mouth guard

Find a mouth guard made of high-quality material. The mouth guard should fit you properly and should be thick enough to separate your upper teeth from the lower ones. While you can get a good mouth guard from the shelves, it is recommended that you get one custom-made for you. This type can be made through a dentist or a more affordable alternative would be to purchase online.  A quality mouth guard will also help you prevent other bruxism effects like having receded gums, headaches, and soreness in the mouth.

Is Adderall Causing Me to Grind My Teeth at Night?

2. Lower dosage or try to wean yourself off

You don’t want to stop your ADHD medication and grinding your teeth and clenching your jaws is the last thing you want to keep doing. Try reducing the dosage and see if it can reduce your bruxism severity. Though it is a temporary remedy, this actually works for some people. If it doesn’t work for you, you can switch to another type of ADHD medication. However, it is always important to talk to your doctor for professional advice before switching drugs.

3. Get magnesium

Medical experts have linked magnesium deficiency to teeth grinding and clenching. So getting more magnesium in your diets can help you reduce the effects of bruxism. Foods rich in this mineral include spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chard, avocado, figs, bananas, black beans, and yogurt.
You can also get supplements with magnesium glycinate which will help you reduce the long-term amphetamine tolerance, thus helping attenuate bruxism. Magnesium glycinate does not pose gastrointestinal side effects like other supplements that have magnesium oxide do.

5. Partake in calming practices

Getting a professional massage can help ease the muscle tension in your head. It will relax the muscles in your jaws which go a long way to help you reduce the effects of bruxism.
 You can also learn how to exercise your jaws every night before you to bed. Various body-mind exercises such as deep breathing and meditation can boost your mindfulness to boost your self-awareness. While you may not notice it, these exercises can help you stop jaw clenching and teeth grinding.
mindful practices to stop teeth grinding
Is Adderall causing me to grind my teeth at night? Possibly. Maybe even probably.
It is worth mentioning that if you are already experiencing severe bruxism, besides using the remedies discussed above, it is extremely important that you seek professional help from your dentist. Severe bruxism poses very serious dental problems that you should not underestimate. Again, if you are using ADHD medications, use them only for the intended purpose and avoid recreational use. Hopefully, this post has been a helpful resource for you and remember to wear your night guard!
why am I clenching my teeth?

Why am I Clenching my Jaw?

The Effects of Teeth Clenching and How to Prevent It

It is very easy to imagine that your oral health especially the condition of your teeth ends with good diet and mouth cleaning habits. Unfortunately, there are other habits like teeth clenching which can easily cause destruction to your teeth. Teeth clenching, whether during the day or at night is a common condition affecting millions of both adults and children. So, why am I clenching my jaw?

How do you define teeth clenching?

Teeth clenching is one of the manifestations of a bigger problem known as bruxism.

It’s unfortunate counterpart is teeth grinding and they could occur together or one can act alone. Teeth clenching is the static and sustained contact of both your sets of teeth using the jaw muscles responsible for closing the mouth. It is a para-function meaning it is dysfunctional and not the intended purpose of the jaws.

Why is teeth clenching harmful top your dental health?

Teeth clenching is a major problem because it wears out your chewing system.

If you have ever asked yourself “why do my teeth hurt from clenching my jaw?”, the simple answer is because you are straining them. The human chewing system, known as the masticatory system is designed to work for just 45 minutes every day. This is usually enough time for you to have your three meals a day.

However, teeth clenching whether done in the day or night can easily add up the minutes to even five hours which is more than 500% the duration the system is designed to be functioning at. This leads to overworking of the teeth and other parts of the system, making them weak and wearing them out. This leads to a number of disorders and can create an environment in which other problematic dental conditions thrive.

Causes of teeth clenching 

While scientists are yet to pinpoint exactly what causes teeth clenching, research shows the leading factor could be stress. According to research, jaw clenching is a body’s way to fight stress. This happens because teeth clenching causes the brain to produce chemicals that help to fight stress. In this self-preservation mechanism, teeth clenching helps protect vital body organs like reducing overproduction of acid in the stomach which leads to ulcers. The chemicals also help control blood pressure and increase nutrient absorption in the small intestines. There are other causes of teeth clenching too and they include;

• Sleep disorders such as hallucinations, talking while in sleep and apnea can all lead to the development of bruxism of which teeth clenching is part of.
• Poor lifestyle habits like smoking, alcoholism along with the use of other recreational drugs also contribute to the development of teeth clenching as a side effect or to deal with the strain caused.
• Some types of medication especially those belonging to the group which selectively inhibits the reuptake of serotonin (SSRI’s) largely used for the treatment of depression. These drugs like the recreational drugs and other substances above, cause teeth clenching as a side effect of their use.

symptoms of teeth clenching

Symptoms of teeth clenching

At times, it may be hard to know whether you are suffering from teeth clenching especially if it happens when you are asleep.

For this reason, it is always recommended that you consult a dentist for a comprehensive dental evaluation. Some of the symptoms of the condition include:

• Waking up in the morning with pain in the jaws or the jaws are tight

• Morning headaches that are caused by the prolonged tension of the jaw muscles which are placed under a lot of strain.

• Increased tooth sensitivity because the protective enamel layer of the teeth becomes gradually worn out and the nerves inside the teeth become exposed.

• Pain in the area surrounding your ears when yawning or chewing food. It can also result in the development of sinus pain.

• Swelling occasionally on the lower side of the jaw caused by the clenching

• For those using dentures, they start having dysfunctions and you need to keep adjusting them or even replace them.

• Chronic pain in the neck and surrounding area and when treated you have relief only for a short period.

If you observe these symptoms it is better to consult your doctor to rule out any other possible causes and advise you on the best method to combat the condition depending on the severity of your case.

The damage of teeth clenching to your dental health

Besides the symptoms, teeth clenching can lead to severe dental damage of it is not checked early. Some of the effects of this condition include:

• Cracked and crooked – the excessive pressure placed on the teeth leads to the development of small cracks in the teeth. These in gradually grow to bigger ones which cause cavities and allow the bacteria room to get inside the teeth. The teeth can also become misaligned because of the constant excessive pressure.

• Masseter hypertrophy – this is a term that refers to the enlargement of the jaws over time. This happens because teeth clenching acts as a workout for jaw muscles and make them increase. This affects your appearance

• The overworking of the jaw muscles can also lead to bone and gum loss which further lead to increased tooth root sensitivity

• It can lead to adrenal stress syndrome since a dysfunctioning masticatory system has been shown to increase the cortisol levels in the blood.

Prevention and treatment of teeth clenching to prevent pain and dental damage

There are several practices and therapies you can use to prevent teeth clenching and some of them include;

1. Use of mouth guards and splints– this is effective when one is asleep and while they do not stop the clenching, they redistribute the force of the clenching preventing it being exerted on the teeth.

2. Avoid stress and anxiety wherever you can and where it is not possible to practice better ways of combating it like exercises and if necessary counseling. Ignoring your stressful moments makes the body look for self-preservation alternatives.

3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which affect the quality of your sleep leading to clenching at night since your body becomes physically depressed

4. In cases of severe teeth clenching a muscle relaxant can be used to prevent the jaw muscles from clenching while asleep.

5. You can train yourself to be self-aware especially during the day. This can be done by keeping your lips together and teeth apart with the tongue in between.

It’s not a guaranteed fix but if stress seems to be the main trigger for clenching and/or grinding it would make sense to take strides to lower your stress. How can we do this? You are at your best when you’re optimal and when are you optimal? When you’re working out, eating healthy, taking charge of your life. Keep your body healthy. Keep your mind healthy. Stay away from all the things that taste so glorious going down and don’t define yourself by your current state. You can be better. You will be better. Remember two things: We operate on momentum and we set our own standards. Raise your standards. Get going. Live your best life and see if this begins to ease your jaw tension and stop your bruxism all together.