Bruxism – the medical term for teeth grinding – occurs most often in children but also affects an estimated eight percent of adults. The grinding usually happens during sleep and can damage teeth, cause pain, and result in headaches and jaw problems. We don’t know exactly what the cause is, but it’s believed to stem from brain signals that lead to involuntary and forceful contraction of jaw muscles. Some evidence suggests a genetic predisposition, but bruxism may also stem from stress and anxiety, an abnormal bite or crooked or missing teeth. In addition, the effects of some drugs, including caffeine, may play a role. According to the American Dental Association, children may begin to grind their teeth in response to pain, discomfort from colds, ear infections, allergies and other health problems.
Many people affected don’t realize they grind their teeth in their sleep until told by someone who hears them doing it. Or a dentist may spot signs of damage caused by grinding during an exam.
Botox has been used to treat the problem for a number of years but hadn’t been well studied until researchers at Baylor College of Medicine tested it in 2017. They recruited 22 people with bruxism who first were observed during an overnight stay in a sleep lab to assess the severity of teeth grinding. Then, 13 of the participants had Botox injections administered through their cheeks into their chewing muscles. The others received shots of a placebo. Four to 8 weeks later all the participants spent another night in the sleep lab to allow researchers to assess the extent of improvement, if any. None of those who received the placebo showed any changes, but of the 13 who were given the Botox shots, 6 were deemed “much improved” or “very much improved.”
The participants who received Botox rated their own symptoms and pain on 2 scales of zero to 100. Their scores averaged 65 on both. (A score of 50 signified no change.) Those receiving the placebo reported no improvement.
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