DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i03.061

Pages: 1162-1163

The report describes a patient suffering from somatoform disorder, who developed bruxism on treatment with escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). During the initial stages of the therapy, the patient experienced decreased anxiety and nervousness with normalized sleep pattern. With the gradual progress of the regimen, the patient reported excessive grinding of teeth followed by clenching of the jaw and aching jaw muscles. A grinding or taping noise during sleep was noticed by his wife, which was reportedly so loud and unpleasant that kept her awake. Lip biting and cheek biting were also reported. On reporting the problem followed by reduction in dosage regime, patient experienced improvement in his condition and was then put on buspirone therapy. Though the aetiology of such bruxism remained unclear, the imbalances in dopaminergic and serotonergic activities in the central nervous system is mostly implicated. The present case report highlights an incidence of development of bruxism in a patient who was on SSRI therapy.