Most people know the instant discomfort of biting their cheek accidentally. It hurts for a while, often causes a painful sore inside your cheek, and goes away within a couple of weeks. This is nothing to cause concern and requires no dental treatment. However, other forms of cheek biting should prompt you to see your dentist for an evaluation. While most cheek biting isn’t serious, some forms require extensive diagnosis and treatment to prevent undesirable oral complications. Read more about cheek biting and when to see a dentist below.
If you are concerned that your cheek biting occurs too often, schedule an appointment with Trident General Dentistry for a comprehensive oral examination.
Types of Cheek Biting
Not every cheek bite is cause for concern enough to visit your dentist. There are five types of cheek biting, and most do not require extensive treatment.
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Occasional accidental cheek biting. Most everyone bites their cheek periodically while eating, chewing gum, or during an activity such as sports. Although this may cause pain and a mouth sore, it typically resolves within fourteen days.
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Regular accidental cheek biting. If you accidentally bite your cheek frequently, you probably have a dental issue that needs attention. Common dental causes include an erupting wisdom tooth, misaligned teeth, or a defective dental restoration.
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Cheek biting while asleep. Some disorders such as TMJ disorder and sleep apnea can cause you to grind your teeth or chew on your cheek.
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Habitual cheek biting. This bad semiconscious habit often has an underlying emotional problem that needs resolving to break the habit.
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Chronic compulsive cheek biting. This compulsive behavior continues despite the best efforts to stop it. Chronic cheek biting is a BFRB, or body-focused repetitive behavior, also known as morsicatio buccarum.
The Harm of Cheek Biting
Biting your cheek causes a break in the tissue lining your cheek, known as the mucosa. As a result, a sore, known as a canker sore or aphthous ulcer, may form at the site of this torn tissue. These differ from cold sores and do not occur on your lips, nor are they contagious. However, a canker sore from a cheek bite can cause significant discomfort and interfere with eating and speech. Fortunately, these sores are small, shallow, heal without scarring, and heal in one to two weeks.
In contrast to an occasional occurrence, frequently biting your cheek can cause more severe complications. Chronic cheek biting, or morsicatio buccarum, like other body-focused repetitive behaviors, cause physical and psychological complications, including:
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Scarring of the oral soft tissues.
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Oral inflammation that leads to infection.
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Chronic pain.
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Nutritional deficiencies due to dietary changes caused by chronic pain.
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Psychological issues such as shame and guilt.
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Avoidance of social contact with others to conceal cheek biting.
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Post-operative complications following local dental anesthesia.
How Do I Stop Biting My Cheek?
If you experience more than occasional cheek biting, you should consult your dentist. Treatment for frequent or chronic habitual cheek biting might include:
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Removal of an erupting wisdom tooth.
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Bite adjustment.
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Replacing a defective dental restoration.
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Orthodontics.
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Nightguard.
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Stress reduction and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation.
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Professional counseling.
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Ointments and pain medications for mouth sores.
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Chewing gum to replace chewing on cheeks.
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Replacing triggers of cheek biting with other activities.
Schedule an Appointment
Most cheek biting can be treated with a simple dental procedure. Contact us to learn more about cheek biting and how we can help you at Trident General Dentistry.