Chewing properly is a non-trivial activity that deserves to be explored, especially since chewing incorrectly can damage digestion and cause discomfort to the whole body. But why do you chew badly? The reason often lies in dental malocclusion, preventing correct mouth closure.

Therefore, talking about correct chewing means discussing how to move the jaw in a balanced way when eating and what the right alignment of the teeth is. Those who chew badly often have malocclusion problems, which a plurality of causes can generate.

In a healthy set of teeth, closing the mouth involves perfect alignment between the teeth of the upper arch and those of the lower arch, with the former slightly covering the latter without causing slippage. Ideally, the line of the upper incisors should be in continuity with that of the lower incisors.

Furthermore, for the mouth to close properly, it is essential that the teeth are all intact and that there is a balance between the number of those present on the right and the left.

How To Chew Properly?

Once the preconditions for correct chewing have been established, it is possible to better understand what it means to chew well from a practical point of view.

First, balanced chewing must be bilateral and not unilateral, i.e., involving both sides of the mouth equally. The tongue plays the fundamental role of moving food between the two arches and toward the palate, making it soften by saliva.

Individual teeth perform different tasks. Usually, the upper and lower incisors, supported by the canines, are used to bite and cut food (for example, when biting into bread). On the other hand, Molars and premolars are used to grind food since they are the hardest and most powerful. In addition to the modalities, it is very important that chewing lasts over time because this is the only way you can chop up the food, making it more easily digestible.

What Happens If You Don’t Chew Well: Symptoms And Consequences Of Chewing Incorrectly?

The main effect of incorrect chewing is tiring and disturbed digestion because the stomach has to deal with bites that are too large and more difficult to dismember. However, less evident but equally serious are the problems that are caused throughout the body by chewing incorrectly, as in the case of unilateral chewing.

First, if incorrect chewing depends on dental malocclusion, this can worsen. Indeed, in the most serious cases, if you chew badly since childhood, you may notice balance defects in the development of the face, destined to remain for life. Furthermore, when food is not handled properly in the mouth, individual teeth are also affected, perhaps because they are forced to work excessively to compensate for the lack of activation of others.

This means greater wear and exposure to the risk of fractures, but also negative effects on the gums (which are more easily inflamed) and on the production of saliva (which decreases, also mitigating its action of cleaning the plaque and therefore protecting against caries).

What To Do If You Chew Badly?

If incorrect chewing depends on dental malocclusion, it is impossible to correct it without the intervention of a dentist. It is not, in fact, a simple bad habit but a real “structural” defect that must be remedied. The first step to do, therefore, is to undergo ananthological visit, to evaluate the situation. Depending on the problem type, the dentist will choose how to proceed. Possible solutions are traditional or transparent orthodontics (which can also be applied successfully by adults), the bite, dental veneers, or dental implants.

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