My thanks to Dr Andrew Smith at Front Range Dental Sleep Medicine. With all issues that are sleep-related, he and Dr Dennis Bailey have proved to be invaluable resources.
I recently contacted Dr Smith regarding what is perhaps the most challenging problem I face (-no pun intended)- namely sleep bruxism aka "teeth grinding". I find that I can help control daytime clenching, grinding and bracing behaviors through various strategies. And I have had success helping people to alleviate the pain associated with these behaviors through various manual treatments. Unfortunately stopping nightly bruxism has proven more difficult.
So this is what Dr Smith had to say about this particular sleep disorder-
What we know about Sleep Bruxism in a nutshell:
It's a sleep related movement disorder. AASM DSM. It is moderated by dopamine activity in the basal ganglia.
The activities decrease by ~50% with the use of an occlusal splint, but we don't understand the mechanism. (proprioceptive feedback? Motor engram changes?)
An occlusal splint can be of help.
It can respond to muscle relaxants, cognitive behavioral therapy, improved sleep hygiene, decreased sympathetic input (stress reduction, breathing exercises).
These interventions also seem to help- and with the exception of muscle relaxants, I've offered some assistance in these other areas.
It can be induced or exacerbated by caffeine, SSRI's, some SNRIs, Adderall, or Ritalin. As well as iron deficiency. (Iron converts L-tyrosine to dopamine)
It is often increased in Down Syndrome patients.
It occurs in ~14% of children/adolescents and 4% of adults.
It does not always cause pain or severe tooth damage, but certainly has the potential for damage/ pain, even catastrophic tooth fracture requiring extraction and implant crown surgery.
Stay tuned for more info- in the next blog post regarding the rest of Dr Smith's insights on nightly teeth grinding behavior aka Sleep Bruxism.
I recently contacted Dr Smith regarding what is perhaps the most challenging problem I face (-no pun intended)- namely sleep bruxism aka "teeth grinding". I find that I can help control daytime clenching, grinding and bracing behaviors through various strategies. And I have had success helping people to alleviate the pain associated with these behaviors through various manual treatments. Unfortunately stopping nightly bruxism has proven more difficult.
So this is what Dr Smith had to say about this particular sleep disorder-
What we know about Sleep Bruxism in a nutshell:
It's a sleep related movement disorder. AASM DSM. It is moderated by dopamine activity in the basal ganglia.
The activities decrease by ~50% with the use of an occlusal splint, but we don't understand the mechanism. (proprioceptive feedback? Motor engram changes?)
An occlusal splint can be of help.
It can respond to muscle relaxants, cognitive behavioral therapy, improved sleep hygiene, decreased sympathetic input (stress reduction, breathing exercises).
These interventions also seem to help- and with the exception of muscle relaxants, I've offered some assistance in these other areas.
It can be induced or exacerbated by caffeine, SSRI's, some SNRIs, Adderall, or Ritalin. As well as iron deficiency. (Iron converts L-tyrosine to dopamine)
It is often increased in Down Syndrome patients.
It occurs in ~14% of children/adolescents and 4% of adults.
It does not always cause pain or severe tooth damage, but certainly has the potential for damage/ pain, even catastrophic tooth fracture requiring extraction and implant crown surgery.
Stay tuned for more info- in the next blog post regarding the rest of Dr Smith's insights on nightly teeth grinding behavior aka Sleep Bruxism.
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