lip biting or jaw clenching problems?

[Cbui]

hi everyone,

I was wondering if you’ve had any experience with your family members with PSP in later stages biting their lips or clenching their jaws to the point that it’ll cause lip sores, bleeding?

My mom is experiencing this and has been over the past couple months as she progressed in other areas. Was wondering if anyone has had any successful attempts at preventing or at managing this?

the physician at the skilled nursing facility my mom is at beloved biting is contributory or it could be HSV cold sores. My mom was also prescribed antivirals. The nursing home nurses said no mouth guard due to choking. Her neurologist said PSP patients don’t typically exhibit biting.

Any thoughts?

[Zerachiel]

Hi, Botox injections may relax the overactive muscle, it helps my wife who's eyes close, do a quick Google for "jaw clenching and botox"

[HARRADL]

Hello - Perfect timing. My mom is in the last stage. It's been 10 yrs since this all began. The jaws have been clenching now for a number of months. Her neurologist showed me how to just gently massage each cheek/up in her jaws. It seems to relax the muscles a bit. In the last few weeks she has also been lip biting, which in turn punctured the skin, splitting the lip and making it bleed on and off. We put polysporin on it, as well as the other mouth sores/swelling to get things healed up. Now we keep lip balm or a bit of Vaseline on and these seems to help deter her from biting. For years she wore lipstick so putting lip balm on is making a difference and she likes it I'm try to get her singing or doing something as well to relieve some of the anxiety if that's what it is. She seems to stop biting...when her mind is on something else.

She will also clench the spoon at times during feeding, clench the oral suction hose, and during teeth brushing. As the psws are in a hurry given so many people to support, mom's mouth was getting hurt too as she doesn't consistently open for them.

For teeth brushing, I noted someone else's suggestion here about a soft baby toothbrush. Glad to say that using this is a success for now. This Forum is the best!!!

My niece is a dental hygienist and she suggested we use a wet washcloth to clean the exterior of mom's teeth/remove saliva when we can't brush at all anymore.

Today, I put the lip balm on her lips after lunch, lotioned her up, all meals went well, zero suctioning, I read some short stories to her for a while, we napped, and kept busy so I'd say that we had a great day and it gave my dad a wee break.

Let us know how you make out.

[Kasenda]

Hi, my husband does exactly the same( he is in his 11 years of PSP) . I use a small child’s toothbrush to brush the teeth outside with a tiny amount of toothpaste and normally he will release his lips when the toothbrush goes into his mouth. Then a sponge stick ( for oral care) to rinse it with water. He won’t open his mouth but I clean the outside of his teeth only. Also taking care not to put the sponge stick into his mouth even if he opens it as the sponge can come away when he bites . I then put some Vaseline lip balm on his lips. He is in a Nursing home but I do this when I visit him daily, as I am not sure what mouth care they give him. All the best.

[Kayelless]

Hi, patient here. I often bite the inside of my cheek when chewing or clenching my teeth. The cheek just slides between the teeth “on its own.” I sometimes need to conscientious, inflating that cheek when I eat for example, to get it to heal.