Does anyone have anyone LO's that have started teeth grinding? DH is stage 6/7 and started grinding his teeth about 3 months ago. He has literally grinded down his teeth where there is just a little left on few of the front bottoms. He has cracked one of his caps and popped off his front bridge due to the grinding pressure. Had dentist come to the house (DH is in home hospice) and he confirmed there doesn't seem to be any real damage yet but will be soon. Has anyone had any experience with this????
My dh also ground his teeth in later stages. Dentist never commented about wear. He had good teeth with few fillings. I don't know of anything to do for it.
My DH grinds his teeth periodically---the doctors say it might be the anti-depressants----he's stage 4/5. We are still able to go to the dentist @ twice a year, and they say no damage yet, and not much to do about it. Someone suggested a night mouthguard, which my DH would never agree to anyway, but he doesn't do it that much at night.
It is me that grinds my teeth. Both lower and upper front teeth are definitely wearing thin. They are now very sharp and I am now biting my lip, lower, while sleeping, especially during a nap. One upper has actulally broken off and dentist just smoothed it out and left it. In case I want to buy a new tooth with the peg into the old tooth and jaw bone. Not me. My dentist did make me a retainter to wear at night or when sleeping but I have lost it. I am going to a sports store and buy the kind of mothpiece that athletes wear during the game. The lip can become very jpainjul. bill
I've had bruxism (grinding teeth) all my life. A properly fitted night guard is very important to prevent irreversible damage although I would not try to start a person with dementia on the use of one.
My dh has started grinding his teeth over the last couple of months. I sleep in the living room most of the time and can still hear the grinding. There is no specific day/time. At his stage, I don't believe a guard is a good thing.I have enough difficulty brushing once a day and taking out/putting in his partials. He is beginning to forget the difference between keeping his mouth shut and opening it. Last night I tried a warm cloth but it did not seem to help. Neither does massaging the area. Tylenol does no good either as it is not related to pain. Any other ideas? I'm waiting to hear back from our dentist. DH is bed bound so what we do has to be done at home. Thanks.
brindle, no expert but if it were me i would try ativan at pm to help calm him down and not grind. it may be the dentist can help like you say a guard may not work with these guys. they dont understand they must leave it in. good luck. divvi
My wife does this, definitely FTD related. We got a cheap mouth guard and it helps a lot. A professionally made one is very expensive and not covered by our insurance. I wish she would change mouth guards more often. We got the type that you put in boiling water and then put in the mouth to mold it. I realize for a number of people with dementia this won't work. Dental care for people with dementia is a big problem.
My DH clicks his teeth most of the time. He does not know he is doing it. It started about a year ago. It never happens when other people are around. Just with me. When I ask him to stop he says he is not doing it. He has had thousands of dollars in dental work over the years and more this year. He is in stage 6 I believe. Sometimes, he says the people on TV are doing it.
Well, the good news is after doing this for @ 2-3 years, my DH first stopped grinding except for when he was in shower and really upset, and now has stopped altogether. We did try those do-it-yourself mouthguards and he actually broke a few by biting them so hard. We also gave him lorazapam at night so he would sleep without grinding for about a year, but have stopped that now. So, as one of my caregivers wisely says, everything is a phase, even though this was a long one. FYI, he is stage 6, slipping into 7.