What is that teeth chattering sound at night?
Teeth chattering or teeth grinding (bruxism) occurs as a result of clenching the jaw. Although teeth chattering and grinding typically occurs when a person is asleep, it may also present while people are awake and conscious. Although sometimes viewed as a harmless nervous habit, both teeth grinding and teeth clenching can have long-term and serious consequences if left untreated.
FIVE REASONS WHY YOUR TEETH CHATTER
1. You grind your teeth
Intense teeth grinding can cause spasms in your jaw that result in chattering teeth.
2. Certain types of medications
Many common medications can cause trembling, including teeth chattering. Some medications that treat high blood pressure, asthma, or cancer can cause teeth chattering as a side effect. Consulting your physician to confirm that these symptoms are a common side effect of the medication that you are taking may be necessary.
3. Cold weather
Your body shivers when your body temperature starts dropping below its normal temperature. When your body shivers, the muscles in your body involuntarily contract and relax at high speeds, which helps to warm up your body tissues. The body muscles in your face and jaw, including the temporomandibular joint muscle, is involved in this shivering.
4. Stress or experiencing anxiety
Teeth chattering can be a physiological response to high levels of anxiety. In 2010, a study that was conducted by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Aging found that people with anxiety or depression were more likely to grind their teeth. This study also found that teeth chattering linked to bruxism stemming from anxiety or panic disorders is becoming more common over time. The increasing prevalence of stress, emotional disorders, and the stress of keeping up with work were correlated to a rise in the number of people experiencing bruxism (teeth grinding) or teeth chattering at night.
5. Teeth chattering can be a result of a neurological condition
a. Involuntary tremors throughout the body, including the jaw, can be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease or a symptom of Tourette’s Syndrome.
RISK FACTORS FOR TEETH CHATTERING
Evidence strongly indicates that teeth chattering and teeth grinding may be genetic, and runs in families. If you have a parent or sibling that experiences bruxism, you may have an increased risk. Bruxism can also be caused by a misaligned bite. Having an uneven bite or crooked teeth can cause pain and put pressure on the joints in your jaw.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR GRINDING YOUR TEETH AT NIGHT?
Because teeth grinding often occurs during sleep, most people are not aware, at least right away, that they grind their teeth. Here are some ways to determine if you grind your teeth at night:
1. You are experiencing disrupted sleep.
a. If you grind your teeth at night, you may be experiencing disrupted sleep. Sometimes, the noise may be loud enough to wake you up. The teeth grinding noise as you sleep may also be loud enough to wake or may be noticed by anyone who is near you when you are asleep. A disrupted or interrupted night’s sleep can leave you feeling tired, distracted, or lacking energy.
2. You are waking up with neck or facial pain.
a. Teeth chattering or bruxism (teeth grinding) can also be the cause of unexplained neck or facial pain. When your jaw clenches as you grind your teeth, the temporomandibular joint, which connects your mandible to your skull, may become irritated. The muscles in your neck tighten in order to support your neck and spine. Regularly clenching or grinding your teeth can lead up pain and stiffness.
3. You wake up with a headache.
a. Dull headaches that are concentrated in the temples could also be a sign that you clench and grind your teeth at night. This pain may also feel like an earache.
4. You notice damage on your inner cheeks or lip tissue.
a. When you grind your teeth, you may also chew the inside of your cheeks or lips which may lead to damaging the tissue.
5. Someone hears a teeth chattering sound while your sleeping.
a. Your partner hearing a teeth chattering sound while your asleep is a strong indicator that you grind your teeth. Many describe it as a sound worse than "fingernails on a chalkboard".
6. You notice damage to your teeth.
a. You may notice areas where your tooth enamel has worn thin and exposes the deeper layers of the tooth.
The four most common signs that you grind your teeth at night include experiencing disrupted sleep, waking up with neck pain or facial pain, waking up with a dull headache that is concentrated in your temples, noticing damage on your inner cheeks or lip tissue, or tooth damage.
TEETH GRINDING AND HEALTHY TEETH
One of the most obvious signs of tooth grinding is noticing damage on your teeth. Teeth that are flattened chipped, cracked, or loose may be caused by grinding or chattering. Over time, teeth grinding can wear down and destroy your tooth enamel. Teeth grinding can also cause teeth to shift and gaps to form between them. In extreme cases, teeth grinding over time can lead to damage to the temporomandibular joint.
Solutions to protect your teeth from grinding and how wearing a custom teeth grinding guard can help:
If left untreated, over time, teeth grinding and clenching may develop Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ).
The most effective way to mediate the effects of teeth clenching and teeth grinding is to speak to experts who have experience in these problems.
At TeethNightGuard.com, we create custom dental night guards. Our custom night guards are designed to reduce the discomfort of and protect against the harmful effects caused by teeth grinding (bruxism) and clenching.
What you can Expect from Your Custom Teeth Night Guard:
Once an order is placed, we ship a teeth impression kit directly to you. The directions enclosed in the kit will walk you through the approximately five-minute- long process to take your teeth impression. When we receive your impression, we make a custom night guard that will exactly fit your teeth. Once the mouth guard is finished, we ship it to you.
References
Jewell, T. (2019, July 19). Teeth chattering: Causes, treatment, when to see a doctor. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/teeth-chattering#cold-weather.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2017, August 10). Bruxism (teeth grinding). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bruxism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356100.
Ray, C. C. (2011, July 11). What Makes Teeth Chatter. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/science/12qna.html.
Sutin, A. R., Terracciano, A., Ferrucci, L., & Costa, P. T. (2010, June). Teeth grinding: Is emotional stability related to bruxism? Journal of research in personality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2934876/.
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