It is estimated that 78% of the world population chews almost exclusively on the same side. And how are you doing it? Although it seems unimportant habit, the consequences of chewing unilaterally can be more important than you may imagine. Always using a single side of the mouth is comparable to walking with one leg having two available, as explained by the dentist Eider Unamuno in her social networks. “You imagine having two legs and jumping to the palace. We would end up shattering our knee.”
This type of chewing overloads the musculature of the jaw, can cause discomfort in the cervical, on the shoulders and even knee pain due to the postural compensation it generates. “Here we have a very similar joint and we can damage the articular meniscus or suffer a dislocation that causes a click to chew,” explains Unamuno. In addition, we overload muscles such as temporary, masseteros and neck muscles, which can also affect physical performance if you practice sports.
Man chewing gum
And not only that: chewing with a single side can hinder digestion, alter the general body posture and cause asymmetric wear in dental pieces. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to how we eat and go to the dentist if we detect that we always chew on the same side.
In addition, this habit can be a sign that something is not going well in the mouth: unrelated decay, a bad bite, a badly adjusted filling or even a dysfunction in the joint. Detecting it in time not only prevents major problems, but also improves general health, from digestion to body posture.
Science also supports these observations. A study by the University of Barcelona in 2022 found that people who change from side to chewing, that is, that do not always chew from the same side, improve the performance of chewing and rhythm. Therefore, it seems that alternating the sides not only distributes the effort better, but also makes a more efficient oral function.
Reasons and recommendations
Why does all that happen? It may be due to several factors that we often overlook. For example, it can happen because we consume very soft foods, which makes it unnecessary to chew with both sides of the mouth. It could also be because we are oral respirators, and the brain, in an attempt to protect ourselves, interprets that it could be dangerous to move the food from one side to another while we breathe through the mouth. Or, simply, because we have an unscathed decay or some dental discomfort, and we end up chewing more than one side.
Woman with pains in the mouth
The key is to be more aware and review what leads us to chew unilaterally. Sometimes we do it without thinking, sometimes for comfort or to avoid pain. Before the problem becomes more important, the ideal is to identify the cause. As explained by the dentist Eider Unamuno: “I may always mastive on the same side without realizing, for a discomfort, by custom or for a functional reason that you should review.” And he adds: “If you detect that you do it regularly, it is important to go to the dentist” to assess the cause and avoid major consequences.
In conclusion, always chew on the same side is not a minor detail or a simple custom: it is a habit that can have a real impact on oral, muscular and postural health. Detect it in time, understand why we do it and correct it, with professional help you can prevent pain, injuries and imbalances. Remember that the body is wise and if we pay attention to what it means, you can surely avoid some problems.
