Why do my teeth chatter when i cry

Q. What might cause teeth to chatter other than the cold?

A. There are several kinds of involuntary jaw movements, said Dr. Steven Syrop, section chief of temporomandibular disorders at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, and it is important to distinguish chattering from grinding and from still another problem, called oromandibular dystonia. “Teeth chattering is usually related to shivering, which is the body’s response to cold,” Dr. Syrop said, but it can also result from an infection causing chills.

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is thought to be a habit aggravated by stress, he said. The exact cause is not known, but recent evidence has de-emphasized the role of occlusion, or the way the upper and lower teeth come together. “Different from this is when the jaw muscles contract and relax spontaneously, producing constant jaw movement,” Dr. Syrop said. “This is called oromandibular dystonia.” This kind of motion can be the result of several different medical conditions, including reaction to certain medications.

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Credit...Victoria Roberts

According to the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, oromandibular dystonia is one of more than a dozen kinds of dystonia, in which the neurological mechanism that makes muscles relax when they are not in use does not function properly. The contractions can interfere with chewing and swallowing.

Treatments include injections of botulinum toxin, oral medications and speech and swallowing therapy.

C. CLAIBORNE RAY

Crying is a pivotal act in emotional health. It is a biological function, a deep self-expression, a call to attunement, and a surrender. Crying makes it possible for suffering over past events to become past suffering.

Crying is an act of release, usually of sadness, but sometimes also of joy. The most superficial type of crying involves tearing of the eyes. Few adults these days are able to cry anymore deeply than this. The next level is with tremor in the jaw and cheeks, and involuntary . The deepest level involves the entire torso shaking and convulsing including the diaphragm. This is sometimes expressed "wracked with sobs."

The deeper the crying the greater the release. It is known that shaking and quivering behavior limits the effects of trauma. Everyone feels better after a "good cry." Watching sad movies or plays has always been used by wise people as an opportunity to catch up on crying. This crying is not false or spurious, it comes from inner sadness that is evoked by what is being portrayed.

Muscular tension inhibits crying just as it inhibits all emotional expression. Young children are the most able to cry because they have less muscular development. Women in general cry more easily than men, just as they are closer to other emotional expression, because of less muscle mass. However, in our culture there is a message that everyone should cry as little as possible. This is an unfortunate message. In Shakespeare, heroes cry frequently and deeply. Now that is not a 'scientific' source of actual 16th century behavior, but it does indicate the social norm of the time.

Babies cry frequently, because they are frequently helpless. The crying usually gets help and that is erroneously believed to be its only function. Children are encouraged not to cry in part because it is feared that they will manipulate others that way. This groundless fear arises because of today's obsession with power. Fake crying is possible, but this is easily discerned.

Other people are moved to help when they see or hear someone crying. But crying is primarily about releasing sadness, or coping with a bad circumstance in which nothing can be done. People that resist crying are always made uncomfortable by the presence of someone crying, and that is perhaps the greater part of our cultural disdain for crying. One person crying can start capable others crying, and there is no harm to this, just the opposite. Difficulty crying is difficulty grieving. An accumulation of ungrieved losses leads to deadness.

Besides facial stiffness, crying is impeded by a reflex closing of of the throat (choking in the narrows). Alexander Lowen's bioenergetic stool is a tool that in bodywork is used to help open the trachea and lungs and support deep crying.

Laughing: Physically, laughing is completely the same below the chin as crying. The difference is in the face: with laughing the corners of the mouth are upturned, the same as smiling. With crying, the corners of the mouth are downturned. Someone crying can be stopped by asking them to smile (although there is never any real justification for doing so). Likewise, some one laughing heartily at adversity can convert to crying by the turning the mouth corners down (and this may well be justified). Laughing can be a lesser surrender than crying but still a release.

Most often people associate teeth chattering with being cold. Being cold can definitely cause your teeth to chatter, but there are number of other reasons why it may be happening. Below you will find the most common causes, treatment options, and when it’s time to see a doctor.

1. Emotional Stress: A common symptom of stress, anxiety, and panic is called bruxism. It is most well known as teeth grinding. It can also result in teeth chattering. While the link between emotional stress and teeth chattering isn’t fully clear, researchers hypothesize that muscle spasms and tremors are symptoms of panic, anxiety, and stress

If you experience this, contact your doctor and see what they can do. Most often treatment options include medication or talk therapy. Your medical provider can discuss what would be best for you.

1. Withdrawal: Alcohol and drug withdrawal can be accompanied by teeth chattering. It is referred to as a drug-induced tremor. Because your system is in withdrawal, the tremors are induced because you do not have the drug in your system. This is because your brain has become accustomed to getting used to the rush of dopamine that occurs when the substances are taken that it ultimately becomes dependent on them. Coming off of drugs or alcohol use means that your brain has to compensate for the loss of the drug as it has become dependent on it. This causes muscle spasms and can make your teeth chatter.

You should not experience withdrawal alone and it should likely be under medical supervision. Talk with your doctor about your options. Often there are medications that can help with your symptoms of withdrawal. Or, you may be able to slowly ease off of the substance to mitigate major issues concerning withdrawal.

1. Neurological Disorders: Teeth chattering can be an early sign of certain neurological disorders. Certain conditions can make the muscles in your jaw, face, and mouth contract and relax involuntarily which can include your teeth chattering.

If you experience teeth chatter and the muscles in your face contracting and relaxing you should contact a medical professional. Early diagnosis and treatment is important for these conditions.

1. Medication Side Effects: Some medications like antidepressants or antipsychotic medications are known to cause bruxism and teeth chattering. This is because they interact with neurons in your brain that react to high levels of serotonin and a deficit in dopamine which can cause chatter.

If you are getting unwanted side effects from your medication, contact your doctor. You may need to try something else or use alternative medicines for treatment if the side effects are too severe.

1. Being Cold: The most common reason your teeth chatter is because you are cold! Shivering is a warming process that automatically kicks in when your internal body temperature drops too low. If your body temperature drops too low you can go into hypothermia. Shivering activates the muscles in your body to move to warm up your body tissue. This raises your internal body temperature closer to normal. As for the teeth chatter, your jaw twitches and spasms when the muscles contract and relax which results in your teeth chattering.

When Should I See a Medical Professional?

If you experience teeth chattering any additional symptoms for more than a few days, contact a medical professional. If you know the reason for it there is not cause for concern, but if you are unclear it’s important to get checked out.

In addition to seeing your medical provider, it’s important to get seen by a dentist as well. Teeth can become worn down or damaged due to chattering and grinding.

Dentists in Chino Hills, California

If you are struggling grinding your teeth, teeth chattering, or any other dental care issue, contact the dentists at Dental Care of Chino Hills. The dentists provide patients with complete treatment plans to help with any dental issues. They use restorative and cosmetic dentistry based on whatever your dental needs are. Contact the office today for an appointment!