Hello, thought I would just make a PSA about this
This side effect of clenching is very common and can seem harmless but it carries significant risk in the long term.
I have been taking medications for many years. I just got done with a dentist appointment because I had been having tooth sensitivity. Turns out I have a cracked molar and the only way to fix this is to get the tooth crowned which will cost $2000.
It’s very easy to take things for granted until you‘re met with consequences, this isn’t meant to scare anyone off taking medications but a reminder that stimulants don’t have RCT of long term data, so the prevalence of developing dental issues like cavities from dry mouth and cracks in tooth from clenching is relatively unknown.
Same can be said with the long term implications on the cardiovascular system and long term effects on the brain. We do know that animal models have shown that amphetamines cause neuron death and decrease the size of the hippocampus, this hasn’t been proven in humans but it also hasn’t been disproven but an important caviet for people taking these meds.
The takeaway is that stimulants can be great medications but they CAN carry significant long term risks. To determine if the benefits are worth it you NEED to be comfortable with acknowledging that life shattering (no pun intended) complications are a possibility and that the risk increases every year on the medication, the higher the dosage the greater the risk and amphetamines are likely to be more harmful to the mind and body than methylphenidate is.
Many psychiatrists are not being transparent enough about this, not maliciously but because they don’t know the long term risks either. This isn’t to discourage anyone to stop taking their meds but to be open and evaluate if you could cope with the potential emotional, financial and physical burdens of long term consequences and if the benefits you are getting right now are justified. I was naive and am now suffering the consequences of that.