Garak Market Station Dental Clinic - Is It Okay to Chew on One Side?

가락시장역치과 - 한 쪽으로 씹어도 될까

Hello, I’m Shin Seung-hwan, the chief director of Yonsei Uline Dental Clinic, Garak Market Station Branch, near Garak-dong, Songpa-gu.

Today, I’d like to talk about one of the questions patients ask often:

“Is it okay to chew on only one side?”

When we eat, we naturally tend to chew more on the side that feels more comfortable. If that habit becomes ingrained over a long period of time, it can lead to facial asymmetry or temporomandibular joint problems, so it’s something we should definitely take a closer look at.

First, if you keep chewing on only one side, the chewing muscles on the frequently used side may become thicker and larger. Muscles tend to grow more on the side that gets more use.

So over time,

it can become obvious to anyone that one side of the face looks more developed.

The problem does not stop there. When we chew on the right side, the joint that actually bears the force is not the right one but the left temporomandibular joint, and when we chew on the left side, the right temporomandibular joint is used more.

So the chewing side’s muscles grow larger, and the opposite joint wears down more, creating a strange imbalance.

If this accumulates, the length of one side of the bone itself may become shorter or change, which can even lead to severe facial asymmetry.

That is why it is of course important to consciously try to use the other side as well. But if you actually try it, you may have experienced this:

Someone who usually uses only the right side may say, “Today I’ll chew on the left side!” and start eating, but before they know it, they have unconsciously returned to the right side.

This may simply be due to habit, but in many cases there is usually a reason.

For example, when the teeth on the opposite side are sensitive or painful, when the tooth alignment is off and the chewing motion does not work well, when there are many gaps between the teeth and food gets stuck often, or when the teeth are so crowded that it doesn’t even feel like chewing properly, people naturally choose the “more comfortable” side.

So simply saying, “Try chewing on the other side,” may not solve the problem. In that case, it is much more accurate to check at the dental clinic which side you are actually chewing on, and whether there is a reason you cannot use the opposite side.

If there is a part of the tooth alignment that gets in the way, we may be able to smooth it a little, we may improve the chewing direction through orthodontic treatment, or we may restore function with prosthetics or resin.

In other words, just as important as making an effort to use the opposite side intentionally, is first creating the environment where it can actually be used.

A habit of chewing on only one side is not just a simple lifestyle habit; over time, it can change the muscles, joints, and even the shape of the face.

Rather than forcing yourself to use the uncomfortable side, it is wisest to find the cause and resolve it first, so you can naturally use both sides evenly.

That was Garak Branch of Yonsei Uline Dental Clinic, near Exit 4 of Garak Market Station in Garak-dong, Songpa-gu.