Chewing on one side or on both sides: which is better?

Sometimes a tooth wear on only one side of the mouth may be related to discomfort in other parts of the body. If we are not aware that they are related, it is likely that we treat each thing separately without considering that factors may be influencing in those imbalances.

The teeth positionthe work we do with them when chewing, has over time impact on small structures that are transmitted to other parts of the body. Knowing this can help us relate those problems. And take into account some general tips it can help to avoid them or to improve them.

The importance of chewing well

chewing is one of the fundamental functions of the human being, which allows the necessary food and nutritional contribution to be crushed and can be digested through the digestive tract. This is essential to create the energy that makes our entire body work.

Food is cut by the incisors and by the canines. Then they are crushed with the molars and mixed with the saliva forming the food bolus. It is very important that good chewing occurs. Only in this way we will achieve a correct crushing and salivationnecessary for the first part of digestion to be carried out and, in this way, the stomach works less.

On the other hand, it must be taken into account that human beings chew in a three-dimensional way, a characteristic that differentiates them from animals.

How it should be chewed

Mastication is produced by the contact of the teeth of the upper jaw and the mandible, and must be alternate unilateral.

In other words, it is important that when chewing we remember not to always use the same side: it is better to chew a bit to the right and a bit to the left.

You have to think, moreover, that chewing is an activity integrated with the brain and the rest of the body. Apart from the wear of the teeth, chewing on one side or the other has an effect on each of the cerebral hemispheres as well as on different structures of the body.

So, when chewing on the right we stimulate the left cerebral hemisphere (analytical logic), and by doing it on the left, we act on the right (imaginative, artistic).

In fact, the hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum, which is stimulated by placing the tongue on the palate to swallow saliva. This way chewing activity preserves cognitive function, which depends on the hippocampus, which deteriorates with old age. Older people who can chew with their own teeth tend to take care of themselves. On the other hand, those that do not have teeth, in a high percentage cannot.

Effects of chewing on one side only

If we always use the teeth on the same side to chew, a unilateral mastication is created that can produce a tooth wear most used, while the others remain unused, we do not train them.

In addition to tooth wear, it can cause other changes on the same sidefor example:

He narrowing of the nostril on the same side.A jaw joint disorder on the same side, with pain and tension that make it difficult to open the mouth.some asymmetry in the mandible and in the upper jaw. muscle hypertonia on the same side in structures like the shoulderthe hip and the foot on the same side.

The alternate chewing It is very important for there to be a balance in the descending muscles and in our posture.

How to learn to chew better

chewing is essential in child development. It is the first movement to be nourished since it has the first milk teeth and, later, with the permanent teeth. First it will chew, then it will walk and talk.

There is a technique to learn correct bilateral (or alternate unilateral) chewing. Is called dentosophy and was developed by Dr. Michel Montaud. In addition to teaching us to chew in a balanced way, it allows us to improve other essential functions such as nose breathing and the act of swallow correctlyall of which produces a balance of forces.

There is a precious book on this technique of holistic dentistry: dentosophy. Our teeth, a door to health. Dr. Montaud himself tells us the bases of this dental treatment to improve various oral problems, including malocclusions, and how it is possible to rebalance the mouth and related structures by restoring the neurovegetative functions of the oral system.

Teach to chew well from childhood

Prevention is the most important thing so that it can be avoid unilateral chewing in children. Suckling is a first step, since it helps the correct development of the mouth. In fact, when suckling, the baby is able to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time, breathing through the nose.

As general advice to improve chewing, I would highlight two points:

One has to give the importance of the act of chewing, making our times to eat enough, taking time to chew and eat calmly. It is also a way of respecting the act of our nutrition and remembering it can help us become aware of it. Follow the advice of macrobiotics, which insists that you have to eat carefully and chew at least 50 times each bite.