Have you ever thought about how your chewing habits affect your teeth? Though most people focus on brushing and flossing, how chewing habits affect your teeth is just as important to consider. At Arise Dental, our Gilmer TX dentists have seen firsthand how daily chewing habits can either support a healthy smile or lead to dental problems over time. Let’s dive into how chewing habits affect your teeth and share some surprising facts that could change the way you think about your everyday oral habits.
Why Chewing Matters
Chewing is the first step in the digestive process. Every time you chew, your teeth experience pressure and wear. Understanding how chewing habits affect your teeth helps you recognize small behaviors that could be damaging your smile without you even realizing it.
What directly impacts the health of your gums, teeth, and jaw?
- How hard you chew
- How often you are chewing (ie, more than for meals)
- What you chew (sticky substances, hard foods, non-food items)
Examine What You Chew
Taking a good look at what you are chewing on daily can help you determine if what you’re chewing on is possibly affecting your teeth negatively.
Chewing on Ice is A Common Danger
One of the most common examples of how chewing habits affect your teeth is the habit of chewing on ice. Many people think it’s harmless, but chewing on hard substances like ice can cause microfractures in your enamel. Over time, these tiny cracks can develop into bigger chips or even full tooth fractures, leading to pain, sensitivity, and expensive repairs.
Our Gilmer TX dentists always advise patients to avoid chewing on ice to protect their enamel and prevent unnecessary dental emergencies.
Chewing Hard Foods and Objects
Snacking on hard foods like popcorn kernels, hard candies, or non-food objects like pens shows another way how chewing habits affect your teeth. Hard items can damage your enamel, cause chips, and even lead to broken dental work like crowns or fillings.
Being mindful of what you chew and resisting the urge to use your teeth as tools will save you a lot of pain (and money) in the future.
Is Gum Chewing Good or Bad?
You might be surprised to learn that chewing gum can both help and hurt your teeth, depending on what and how you chew. Sugar-free gum can stimulate saliva, which washes away food particles and neutralizes acids that cause cavities.
However, excessive gum chewing—especially if the gum is sweetened—can demonstrate the ill effects of chewing habits on your teeth. Sugar feeds the bacteria that lead to plaque, cavities, and even gum disease. Excessive chewing can also overwork your jaw muscles, leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems. So when you chew gum, always opt for sugar-free, and do not chew for extended periods.
Favoring One Side When You Chew
Another surprising example of how chewing habits affect your teeth is favoring one side of your mouth over the other. Some people unconsciously chew more on their dominant side due to missing teeth, discomfort, or habit. How could favoring one side or the other affect your teeth?
- Favoring one side of your mouth while chewing can cause accelerated wear and tear on one side of your mouth
- It can lead to alignment issues for our teeth
- Favoring one side of your mouth while chewing can cause jaw pain
- It leads to muscle tension, which can cause TMJ issues or headaches
If you are chewing on one side of your mouth due to cavities or missing teeth, see our Gilmer TX dentists to fix the problem and to restore balanced chewing.
Teeth Grinding and Clenching
Grinding and clenching your teeth (especially at night) is another example of how chewing habits significantly affect your teeth. Many people grind their teeth in their sleep due to stress or misalignment, causing severe enamel wear, cracks, and sensitivity. If you suspect you grind your teeth, talk to your Gilmer TX dentist at Arise Dental to get fitted with a custom night guard.
Chewing Speed and Thoroughness
Oddly enough, how chewing habits affect your teeth also extends to how fast and thoroughly you chew. Eating too quickly can cause you to chew less, resulting in larger food particles that are harder on your teeth and digestive system. Slow, thorough chewing spreads out pressure evenly across your teeth, minimizing wear and tear.
Conclusion: Small Habits, Big Impact
At Arise Dental, we want all of our patients to be aware of how chewing habits affect their teeth. It’s typically the small, daily habits that make the biggest difference in the long term..
If you have concerns or questions about how your habits of chewing affect your teeth, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with Arise Dental. Our team is waiting to inform you of your oral health and allow you to make choices that serve your smile well for many years to come.