Can Bruxism Respond to Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors?

Sir: Bruxism, the nonfunctional grinding and/or clenching of teeth, is thought to be a highly prevalent disorder. Nocturnal bruxism has been classified as a parasomnia, and patients may conceivably have sufficiently severe symptoms to meet DSM-IV criteria for stereotypic movement disorder. While both psychological (e.g., stress) and dental (e.g., malocclusion) factors have in the past been hypothesized to result in bruxism, its etiology remains poorly understood.