If you are reading this, you are likely to experience discomfort or pain related to wisdom teeth, such as: B. when your wisdom teeth are biting your cheeks or are about the age you fear this will happen. Wisdom teeth usually explode in their late teens, and many people don’t have enough space in their jaws to explode properly.
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to get rid of the pain or discomfort of wisdom teeth that bite your cheeks. In the long run, the best solution would be to eventually remove the wisdom teeth. Short-term relief can be obtained by using hot compresses or over-the-counter pain relievers. You should also gargle with salt water to prevent infections (consult your doctor if you think you may already have a wisdom tooth infection).
Wisdom teeth usually grow on your cheeks when you have a small mouth and chin. The wisdom teeth themselves may be medium in size, but they simply have nowhere else to grow, so they will grow on your cheeks. Some patients have larger wisdom teeth that, due to their size, bite the cheek, causing discomfort and pain on a daily basis.
Here are some steps to take if you feel that your wisdom teeth are growing on your cheeks:
They help you to chew, but of course they are not strictly necessary because our other molars help us to chew as they grow. Through evolutionary mechanisms, wisdom teeth were used by our ancestors who had larger jaws and needed to chew them on stricter daily diets. Over time, our jaw decreased, but our wisdom teeth did not stop developing. That is why so many people have wisdom teeth that cause problems in the mouth and some third molars in our jaws remain affected.
Wisdom teeth can help chew in patients with a larger mouth and jaw. These patients are few and far between, and it is generally advisable to remove wisdom teeth earlier to avoid problems later in life. If your wisdom teeth haven’t exploded yet, please don’t panic. It is usually simply uncomfortable, not painful and usually does not require extraction, unless your mouth is tiny and there is a crowd. Of course, if they explode and really cause pain, extract them. If you are unable to go to the dentist right away, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers or a hot-water bottle to relieve pain. If you suspect an infection, depending on where you live, you can even ask your pharmacist to prescribe an antibiotic.
We’ve all been there and we know how much it can hurt. Maybe it was in the middle of a fall or maybe it was a stress response, but biting your cheek can be painful. Although an accidental bite on the cheek is not a cause for concern, some people may bite the inside of the cheek more often than they realize. This may be a sign of a more serious problem. But don’t worry, whether by accident or something, we’re here to help you stop biting your cheek.
Lack of attention. If you get distracted while eating activities like reading a book or watching TV, you can bite your cheek without realizing it. Accidental biting. People can bite their cheeks if they eat too fast, talk while eating, or get involved in a fight or accident.
Depression or anxiety-related bites. Just like biting your nails, you can automatically bite the inside of your cheek when you are stressed, anxious or depressed. Dental deflection in the dental arch. If your teeth (usually wisdom teeth) are deflected towards the cheek, it can cause injury. Deviating molars or premolars, or poorly designed or poorly constructed crowns can cause similar injuries.
Psychological bite. Biting the chronic cheek (known as morsicatio buccarum) is a compulsive behavior that causes someone to repeatedly bite the inside of the cheek. It is classified as repetitive behavior focused on the body (BFRB). In some cases, someone with BFRB may not even be aware that they are biting the cheek.
Occasional and accidental cheek bites can cause cancerous wounds, otherwise they are nothing to worry about. You may feel uncomfortable for a few days, but it usually is. Chronic cheek biting can cause redness, painful sores and cracks in the lining of the mouth (known as the lining of the mouth). In addition, with BFRB-related cheek bites, you may feel more guilty, embarrassed or desperate, or walk away from social activities to prevent others from noticing the bite.
If you bite your mouth regularly while chewing or talking, this is an excellent time to make an appointment with your dentist. If your wisdom tooth or other tooth is causing damage to your cheek, your dentist may recommend braces or an extraction to properly align your teeth. If biting your cheek is related to stress, it may be a good idea to talk to a doctor or psychologist. Breathing or relaxation exercises can provide relief and be an effective treatment to prevent internal cheek bites.
If the bite on the inside of the cheek is related to BFRD, the treatment will be multiple. A psychologist may recommend tracking behavior by recording when the cheek bite occurs and what triggered it. One way to change behavior is to replace it with a healthier one. For example, chewing gum. And don’t forget that getting emotional support and finding ways to understand the emotions that drive this behavior is so important. A psychologist can be a great resource here. If you find that you bite your cheek frequently, it is important to see a doctor or dentist. They can help you find a treatment plan that will make you feel supported and prevent you from biting your cheek.
Some people consider biting their cheeks a harmless and bad habit, similar to biting their nails. Although it appears to be repetitive behavior, it can be a sign of a mental health condition similar to stress and anxiety-obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) induced by anxiety.
BFRBs are behaviors that are repeated, although there are still attempts to prevent them. They become disorders when they affect a person’s quality of life and cause injury or suffering. BFRBs usually start in late childhood and continue into adulthood.
There are five main types of cheek bites:
There does not seem to be just one cause of chronic cheek bite in BFRD. Some of the suggested causes for this behavior are:
Although they cause self-harm, biting and chewing chronic cheeks is compulsive and can seem almost normal to the person who bites and chews the inside of the cheek itself.
The main consequence of repeatedly biting the inside of the cheek is an injury to the tissues of the mouth. This damage can cause serious injuries, such as mouth pain and ulcers.
Some cheekbenders have a “favorite” part on the inside of the cheek, which allows them to focus their bites and chews on one area. This can result in a piece of skin that is raw and uneven to the touch. The injured skin can create an additional compulsion to straighten the damaged area, leading to a cycle of persistent or worsening injuries.
A 2017 study by the Trusted Source of Chronical Mechanical Irritation (CMI) of teeth found that CMI cannot cause oral cancer. However, when cancer is from another cause, CMI can promote and advance oral carcinogenesis.
Compulsive cheekbissers often experience feelings of guilt and shame about their self-damaging BFRB. This can lead to a feeling of hopelessness. Sometimes, they will take great steps to prevent others from seeing the behavior, which can limit their social activity and interaction.
As wisdom teeth grow, they can irritate and even cut the inner membranes of your cheek. This occurrence is typically associated with regular and accidental cheek bites, rather than chewing BFRB.
If you suffer from accidental cheek bites on a regular basis, contact your dentist. There is likely to be a simple cause that can be corrected with dental equipment and, in some cases, surgery. If you have a chronic cheek, treatment can be more complicated. The first step is to determine whether the behavior is habitual or compulsive.
Biting the usual cheek can often be treated with moderate guidance, self-discipline and patience. Some techniques that have been successful for some people include:
Biting and chewing compulsively BFRB is a more complicated condition. According to the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, treatment for chronic cheek bites should focus on emotional and behavioral components. Some recommended steps are:
If you are biting the inside of your cheek regularly, the first thing you need to do is identify the type of cheek bite you are performing:
Once you understand your type of cheek bite, you can determine the best way to approach the behavior, whether it be going to the dentist, the psychologist or making a self-taught plan.