Teeth chattering, also known as bruxism, is a problem that affects a lot of us and can have plenty of negative effects: mandible pain, degradation of the teeth… and that might have plenty of causes, ranging from casual, no worrisome ones to ones that might actually affect the quality of your life; In that case visit this link. But exactly what causes it, and when does it get worrisome?
Among more causal causes, we have the occasional teeth chattering due to cold temperature: if your internal body temperature drops under 37 (98 Fahrenheit), your muscles will contract and expand rapidly which will cause teeth chattering. On the other hand, you might also experience it if your body temperature rises rapidly by a lot, such as when you are fighting off an infection or an illness. These causes are not worrisome as they shouldn’t become chronic, and won’t provide anything else other than mild annoyance.
However, bruxism (which is worrisome, chronic teeth chattering) can have plenty of more worrisome causes. For starters, anxiety is the main reason for bruxism, as when we are really scared and uncomfortable we might subconsciously tighten our jaw and grind our teeth, but the exact causes are still unknown. Panic, fear, stress, and burnout seem to have the same effects as anxiety.
Another cause of bruxism might be medication, or the lack thereof. Some medications might cause involuntary spasms and teeth chattering as a side effect while suffering from withdrawal of alcohol or certain drugs like MDMA, molly or cocaine can also cause teeth chattering.
One of the other causes might be actual neurological disorders like bruxism, brain injuries, oromandibular dystonia (a condition that causes involuntary spasms of the mandibular muscles and might be caused by getting your teeth pulled or wearing dentures that don’t fit), Parkinson’s disease or hormonal imbalance.
Teeth chattering becomes worrisome when it starts impairing the life of the person that suffers from it or it damages the teeth: if untreated, bruxism can damage the enamel, deform your mandible and teeth and cause small injuries like tongue biting. Depending on your diagnosis and the severity of your condition, your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes, therapy, medications, wearing a mouthguard or even surgery. If you suspect you might suffer from bruxism or if your teeth chattering is starting to impact your life, contact your doctor right away and ask for advice on your diagnosis and how to deal with the condition.
