Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

My wife has trouble grinding her teeth most nights but it is especially worse when she exhibits the PLMS symptoms. Take two smooth stones and rub them together to get an idea what it sounds like.

She didn't believe that her teeth grinding was that bad until she went to a dentist a few years ago and the first thing he said when he looked in her mouth was, "You grind your teeth at night." That convinced her to get a mouth-guard-thingy to protect her teeth.

Thing is, I haven't find this in the literature for RLS or PLMD.

Does anyone here have this problem? Is it associated with PLMD or RLS? Thanks in advance.

Foggy,
Hello and Welcome, Your postings are cracking me up.
I'm sure your not a truely battered husband, but then I batter my husband the same way. I tend to kick and twitch and run him to a sliver of the bed at night. LOL He loves to travel, a King size bed and he sleeps in the middle.
Your educating yourself about RLS will be the most helpful thing for your wife. Understanding what you do not see or have is hard, but wait it gets better. None of us truely undrestand RLS, nor are we always able to explain what living with it is like. Soo kuddos to you for trying here!
Sleeping, well if she hasn't gotten to a point that it is bugging her sleep to much, then her Quality of Life might be fine, until you travel or go to a movie, etc..... Jan's answer was right on target for you.
Most of us here on the board are probaly more severe, but don't let that freak you out, keep reading and learning.
Like me, many of us here have RLS 24/7, mine is painful, but it's not for everyone. RLS is normally a night time problem. The witching hours are 4 pm to 4 am. If I didn't take medication I would be disabled. Jan nailed it again, sleep deprivation does awful things, as you might know to our body and our minds. I went for 9+ yrs with no more than 2 hours top at a time sleeping. RLS can slowly eat your world and Quality of life. If pain is involved then, it's just adding salt to the wound.
Yes, I grind my teeth as well, nope I've never heard of a connection to RLS, but won't be surprised if it comes up in the future.
PLMD is one of those which came first, the chicken or the egg. Many us of have this as well, but again, not all. You can have either by themselves, so RLS is not always along with PLMD.
Most of us manage or try with medications. My husband will likely not go to the seperate bed thing for a while yet. Maybe as we age he'll do so. It's always an option to get two twin beds.
That's my 2 cents, other than glad to have you here Foggy.

Maybe there is a connection between tooth grinding and rls. In Helsinki they have done a study among media personnel (pubmed).

After my RLS became severe I noticed that I clench my jaw at night, ending up on some mornings with a terrible pain in one or some teeth.

Corrie

I don't grind my teeth but I also clench my jaw so I wake up with a sore and tired jaw.

Hi to you all,
Corrie I have always been a grinder, but that is interesting about the study and about you.
I know from my sleep study that I react and wake (though, not fully) because of pain.....maybe your reacting to the RLS and pain as well.
I know I tend to hold my jaws tight if I'm having a bad pain day.
Foggy that was a perfect description! Sadly I've heard that before.

I am brand new, just joined today after reading "Sleep Thief." I actually checked to see if Foggy was my husband, because I have the exact symptoms as his wife. Tooth grinding, PLMS, was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago but I knew I didn't have it. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year. Don't need to walk like others, but a sleep study confirmed the movements and waking. Lots of sensory stuff in the legs even during the day.

So glad I'm not being called "high strung" anymore.

Your wife is lucky to have someone so supportive that you are researching this.

teeth grinding is most often caused from anxiety. There are drugs that help. Ask your doc.

Interesting thread!! I grind my teeth too! I noticed that I started grinding when I began having RLS symptoms as well. I'm not sure if all grinding is anxiety related though. I think the only way I've ever seen grinding/ clenching treated is to get fitted for a mouth guard at night. What is interesting to me is how many of us RLSer's have sore leg muscles from "running" in our sleep.... it appears to make sense that other muscle groups, like along the jaw, could also be involved in that "hyperactivity" process. Interesting, interesting, interesting. ps... I've definitely started grinding more since being on narcotics for my legs- not good.

Fidget, I'd also question if all tooth grinding is anxiety related. . . because my mom and I both do it, too. How weird. Maybe we should do a poll. . .but then, many of us wouldn't know. I don't know that I do it, but my dentist noticed it. Said it wasn't too bad, but I should consider a guard to wear in my sleep do I don't damage the teeth. Just seems weird that so many of us do this.

i don't grind my teeth, but i have woke myself up clinching my jaw together so tight. since i have been on the sleep and pain meds, i haven't done it in a long time.

dee

Me too, Tazzer, must have to do with the meds

Corrie

I don't "grind" my teeth, but I do "grit" them. Others mentioned clenching their jaw. I guess that would be it. Unfortunately, that ends up causing my migraines. I don't know if it is associated with my legs though. I find myself doing it when I am not having any rls symptoms at all.

I also grind my teeth and have for years. I now have TMJ because of it and I have to sleep with a mouth piece. I have had rls symptoms for years, but didnt know it. I never thought that the tooth grinding could be related to PLMS or rls, but its amazing to see how many people that do have the same symptoms! We really should do a pole. I hope your wife uses her mouth piece. It can be annoying, but it really helps. Good luck!

Hey all, for the people who want to do a survey on those of us with RLS who grind their teeth and clench their jaw. I have been clenching and grinding now for quite awhile and didn't notice this until my jaw kept coming out of joint and pain was shooting up into my ear. My dentist is making me a mouth piece.

On another subject, I was in the health food store this afternoon and asked the manager about something herbal for RLS. She immediately told me Horse Chestnut Extract. Now I don't know if this is gonna work or not and I will keep you all up to date on my progress with this, but has anyone ever heard of this as a help for RLS?

Maybe that is why I am getting the migranes!! I've noticed that when my arms are driving me crazy that I tend to wake up with a sore jaw from clenching my teeth in my sleep. Sometimes it gets so bad that the pain in my jaw will wake me up. Usually by noon I have a full blown migrane.

My hubby (who doesn't have rls) occasionally grinds his teeth when he is sleeping, but only on nights that he is really exhausted. When it gets bad enough that it wakes him up (shhh... he sucks on his thumb)!!