ritalin jaw tics clenching | ADHD Information

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Hi,
My daughter has been on Ritalin LA 20 mg for about a year.  Lately I have noticed that she continually opens and shuts her mouth hitting her teeth together.  Has anyone else experienced this as a side effect?  Any info appreciated.

It's called bruxism (latin for "brushing") - an involuntary grinding or clashing of top and bottom teeth.  I do it sometimes too - it's a side effect of stimulant meds.  Usually it passes after some time but sometimes a change of dose or type is needed.  I got a bruxism guard from my dentist to wear when it gets bad and it keeps the teeth from damage.

The dentist says it's a very common disorder and happens to many people during stress or when meds are used. 

 

my son started to open and shut his jaw but he has had vocal tic s too was told i had to take him off the ritalin as it had probably unmasked the tics! When I first started taking Adderall XR, I had the side effect of jaw clenching and hitting my teeth together.  This lasted for a few weeks, and then went away.