I have Parkinsons Disease. I was just diagnosed. I saw the specialist today. He prescribed some medication then asked me to make sure my dentist keeps an eye on my teeth. I mentioned I don’t have a dentist because my teeth have always been healthy, and I’m not fond of dentists. He said get one and then left. Will this medicine destroy my teeth?
Leon – Washington
Leon,
Parkinson’s Medication can cause teeth grinding. That’s likely what your dentist is concerned about. Teeth grinding causes serious problems. Not only can it cause TMJ, but the grinding destroys your teeth.
Healthy teeth can go down quickly. You mentioned not being fond of dentists. You should know you’re not alone in that feeling. If it’s because you’ve had some rough experiences with the dentist, I’ll recommend you try sedation dentistry. This allows you to have a pain-free dental experience. It’s worth looking into now that you’ll need to go to the dentist more regularly.
You can likely tell if you start grinding your teeth during your waking hours. Unfortunately, most of it is likely to happen at night while you’re asleep and won’t notice. If you start getting jaw pain or headaches in the morning, that is a sign you are grinding your teeth.
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