Question:
I have been having TONS of trouble with grinding my teeth....I have
been looking today (because of the work comp suit, I will have to go
to a dentist and them say it is related to the meds before I can get
any help for it...so I am finding what I can now)
There is a LOT of information I found on this supposedly "rare" side
effect....I thought I would paste what I have found so far on here.
Of course, I would rather have the help that Paxil has given me, but I
wake Wes up at night grinding my teeth and have destroyed at least 3
of my back teeth so far. So don't think I am knocking the Paxil by
any means, but I HAVE to have teeth when I am through.
Here is what I have so far~
Answer:
I just need to
know if anyone can help me find something to show the court that this
medicine can cause these problems because they cancelled my dental
policy while on work comp, so I can't afford to go to my dentist, but
I am going to get the x-rays from November and the ones from now... I
just need to see (other than the $300 teeth guard ideas) what I can do
to try to stop the grinding. I have literally destroyed at least 3 of
my teeth and it is causing all kinds of head and jaw pain.
Anyone know where else to look, or what I can do in the meantime? I
read that Buspar is good to help stop the bruxism, but I don't have
it....so that doesn't help much...I am on a waiting list now (who
knows for how long) to get in to see the pdoc that the court ordered.
Teeth grinding ( bruxism) is listed as a side-effect in the paxil monograph.
Ask you pharmacist for a paxil insert and hopefully bruxism is listed as a
side-effect on the insert, that should help you alot. Smithkline beecham, the
makers of paxil have bruxism listed as a side-effect....IMO, this shouldn`t be
so hard to prove.
Have you thought about getting off paxil because of this side-effect? Switching
over to another SSRI AD might lessen this side-effect. To lose three teeth is
terrible. I know a few posters who have had mouth guards because of bruxism and
they help.
there is an inherent risk with any meds-tca ad meds cause lessening of
salivation which increases caries formation leading to rotten teeth and
breakage the ssri's can cause bruxism which can do damage-these effects are
listed in these drugs monographs are well known and most likely cannot be
litigated against -to prevent your bruxism you can use buspar or wellbutrin or
switch your med to another sri or other class of ad meds or try a mouthpiece
even one frm a sports supply store-it may not be as effective as a custum piece
but it will buffer your jaw movements-you may want to try increasing some vit b
levels as well to see if this helps-in any event this is the price of taking
meds and one that as uncomfortable as it is and expensive to repair is just a
trade off imo-you have some choices your lawyer can best advise how to get some
asistance in getting what is in your best interest and if he doesn't get a new
one who will-workmans comp and disability systems are cumbersome and there are
many ignorant and rude people administrating it but bottom line they are social
systems designed to assist those who need help-you seem to qualify in that
regard most systems play ball with a good mouthpiece either a lawyer or doctor.
your broken teeth can be bonded like new provided the roots or nerves are
intact-you may have to try another dentist or hospital clinic that works on
sliding scales or do work for free as a teaching facility you would be worked
on by a dental student under direct supervision by his professor-even with a
mouthpiece--indigent patients have rights your lawyer your dentist and quite
possibly your shrink are giving you a big run around-these drugs can cause
these problems your anxiety can as well and being disabled is a real tangible
problem that is replete with citizen rights-you can obtain them but may have to
work a bit harder and more assertively for them----go to civil liberties if you
have to you are being stranded by an incompetent system don't allow this to
happen-this country owes you get what you deserve.
