According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over 13 percent of teens suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) while over two percent of adults continue to have ADHD past their teens. ADHD is a mental condition that spurs people to have hyperactive impulses that give them trouble focusing on a single task or paying attention for long periods of time. This condition can affect learning, and the ability to understand important information or cause erratic behavior. There are many side effects to this mental condition including ADHD teeth grinding. Here’s what you need to know about this side effect.
The connection between ADHD and teeth grinding is real. Studies have shown that children who are diagnosed with ADHD have a risk of developing ADHD teeth grinding and bruxism later in their adulthood. People that have ADHD typically deal with stress, anxiety, and other hyperactivities that can lead to teeth grinding. When your body releases stress from anxiety, it does so in unhealthy ways. One of these unhealthy ways is through ADHD teeth grinding in your sleep. For those who have ADHD, you may be releasing that stress through clenching or grinding your teeth.
Medication can also be a factor in ADHD teeth grinding. For those that use medication to help with their ADHD, it may cause side effects like chattering teeth. Antidepressants have been linked to the grinding and chattering of teeth in medical articles. For those that deal with anxiety daily and take medication for ADHD it only increases the risk of bruxism.
For those that do deal with ADHD teeth grinding, you’re at a higher risk for damaged teeth. When you grind your teeth or clench them together your teeth may become chipped, cracked, or worn down over time. As your teeth begin to wear down, the nerves underneath them may become exposed. This leads to high sensitivity to hot or cold food and liquids. When your teeth become worn down, you’ll need to schedule a visit with your dentist to have your teeth repaired. That can be a costly experience if your teeth grinding is not kept in check.
Another side effect of ADHD is when the muscles in your face clench together. There’s a whole thread on Reddit about ADHD teeth grinding and the connection between the two. Many users claim to frown on their faces when they sleep, hear “clicking” or “popping” noises from their jaw bones, or have morning headaches from all the clenching while they sleep. When your muscles are clenched together they are forced to “work”. After overworking, your muscles will become stressed from the lack of energy and start to become sore. These sore muscles can trigger other areas of your face and head to hurt resulting in morning headaches when you wake up. While the most common time to grind your teeth is during your sleep, if you have ADHD you are also more susceptible to grinding your teeth during the day.
There are a few solutions to ADHD teeth grinding. Always check with your medical doctor if your prescription is adequate for your condition. A change in dosage or medication may help prevent anxiety and stress that causes grinding and clenching. The best way to prevent damage to your teeth and to prevent those morning headaches is to wear a night guard while you sleep. Your dentist may be able to make you one or there are online options for custom night guards designed to prevent teeth grinding.
SportingSmiles offers six different varieties of night guards based on your symptoms. These night guards are custom-fit, meaning they are much more stronger, durable, and comfortable than boil-and-bite mouthguards found at drug stores. When you sleep with a night guard, you’ll be protecting your teeth from the ADHD teeth grinding associated with stress and anxiety. These premium night guards are the same ones your dentist crafts in terms of quality but at half the cost and without the need to leave your home. The sleek design of SportingSmiles night guards ensures that you can sleep peacefully while your teeth are protected from maximum grinding or clenching.
