Many of us may eat on the run, taking giant bites of our food to get done quickly and on to the next task. We may buy a giant burger and sometimes the sandwich is larger than our mouth.
Taking bites that are too big to chew can be bad for your jaw and teeth. If you have a clicking and popping in what is called your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) as you open and close your mouth you may have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which can restrict the range of acceptable bite size. Taking large bites can aggravate this condition as well as biting into hard candies. Sometimes biting into apples and pears can cause discomfort and problems.
If you do hear the clicking, popping, are experience pain when you are opening and or chewing, I would recommend you make an appointment to see your dentist to have this checked. There are solutions and treatments that your dentist will talk to you about to include wearing a night guard at night while you sleep and they may even refer you to an Oral Surgeon for a consultation. So, remember if you do have too open your mouth more than it feels comfortable to take a bite, then you should consider cutting the item into smaller portions that are easy to chew.
I hope this Tooth Talk has helped and if you have other questions please call or email me. Integrity Dental Care, PLLC, dr.jmitchell@integritydentalcares.com (615) 445-8700.
