Chattering teeth explained

Chattering teeth is a bodily function in animals that occurs primarily in response to cold; the jaw muscles begin to shiver leading teeth to crash together. It may also occur as a result of bruxism where emotional stress causes the jaw movements. Certain medications can lead to teeth chattering as a side effect, especially antipsychotics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Colantuoni . Carlo . Rada . Pedro . McCarthy . Joseph . Patten . Caroline . Avena . Nicole M. . Chadeayne . Andrew . Hoebel . Bartley G. . Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence . Obesity Research . June 2002 . 10 . 6 . 478–488 . 10.1038/oby.2002.66. 12055324 . free .
2. Preuschoft . Signe . "Laughter" and "Smile" in Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) . Ethology . 26 April 2010 . 91 . 3 . 220–236 . 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1992.tb00864.x.
3. Hammond . Paula . Lillie . Stephen . T is for our chattering teeth… . Child Care . 2 December 2017 . 14 . 12 . 14–15 . 10.12968/chca.2017.14.12.14.
4. Miles . Timothy S. . Postural control of the human mandible . Archives of Oral Biology . April 2007 . 52 . 4 . 347–352 . 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2006.12.017. 17257577 .
5. Wiper . Susan M. . Semple . Stuart . The function of teeth chattering in male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) . American Journal of Primatology . October 2007 . 69 . 10 . 1179–1188 . 10.1002/ajp.20434. 17358007 . 22306315 .
6. Lammers . J.H.C.M. . Kruk . M.R. . Meelis . W. . van der Poel . A.M. . Hypothalamic substrates for brain stimulation-induced attack, teeth-chattering and social grooming in the rat . Brain Research . May 1988 . 449 . 1–2 . 311–327 . 10.1016/0006-8993(88)91046-3. 3395851 . 7907529 .