WHY DO TEETH CHATTER? – ELITE DENTAL CARE, TRACY

During the winter season or when the temperature is too cold, your body starts shivering and the teeth chattering. It happens because the body is trying to maintain a balance of the body temperature. While one of the causes for teeth chattering is cold, few more causes can be serious and require treatment. Here are a few reasons for teeth chattering.

1. Due to Cold
The ideal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Whenever the body temperature deviates, the body initiates few responses that bring back the body temperature to normal. For example, when it is too hot outside, your body sweats to lower the temperature and keep it normal. It happens because our body is equipped with an internal thermostat in the brain called the hypothalamus, and its job is to maintain the ideal body temperature.

When the external temperature gets lowered, and it is cold, the body temperature also drops. Hypothalamus then sends a signal to the brain that the body temperature must be raised. Hence the muscles are moved continuously and rapidly while contracting and relaxing, which leads to shivering. Shivering when extends to the dental area, teeth start chattering. So if your teeth chatter during cold, it’s a sign that your body is functioning well to maintain ideal body temperature.

2. Bruxism
Due to stress and mental disorders, your teeth start grinding either consciously or unconsciously. Usually when you are asleep at night, your upper and lower set of teeth strike against each other, chipping the teeth and affecting the jawline. The teeth grinding defect is usually called bruxism. It is related to stress and anxiety as people have the habit of grinding their teeth when in anxiety or tension. The involuntary movement of grinding causes jaw pain, headache, enamel erosion, weakens the gums and chipping of teeth.
Before the situation goes out of control and overall dental health is damaged, visit a dental professional and get the condition treated. You can visit The Elite Dental Care where we treat Bruxism with a mouthguard and teach you the exercises that help cure the disorder and get relief from stress. Also, to relieve stress, you can practice meditation at home.

3. Giving up on Unhealthy Dental Habits
When you smoke and consume alcohol regularly, your body gets accustomed to it. When you give up on such habits, tremors induce in the body due to the absence of the drug as the brain gets accustomed to the dopamine released on consumption of these substances. Hence the muscles spasms and teeth chatter occur.

4. Oromandibular Dystonia
Teeth chattering can also be associated with oromandibular diseases that cause forceful contraction of jaw or face muscles. This condition can also be related to other disorders like Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease or Wilson’s disease. Therapies and medications can work towards relief from the chattering.

Normally, the teeth chatter because of the cold and shivering. If the chattering prolongs for long, consult a dental professional or visit our clinic, The Elite Dental Care to get the dental disorders and defects treated. You can also visit our blog https://theelitedental.com for more information on dental health and dental care tips.