Are You Eating Too Fast?

Life is busy and many of us will eat while we are on the run. This results in us taking giant bites of food so we can get on with our business sooner. In addition, we often spend time visiting fast-food restaurants that serve us giant sized burgers that barely fit in the mouth. Is this harmful? Let’s take a look.

 

 

If you regularly take bites that are too big to chew, you could be hurting your jaw and teeth. This is especially true if you suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). In general, TMD will restrict the amount a person can put into their mouth. When you force your mouth to go wider than that, you could be creating more harm. It has the potential to aggravate the situation further.

Another issue is having your mouth too full. This can injure the jaw or put more stress on your teeth than necessary.

 

 

If you are sitting in front of a meal that is too large for your mouth, you have options. Start by smooshing the sandwich down before you take a bite. This will attempt to make it a regular size that will fit better. Otherwise, you could opt to cut the sandwich up into bite-sized pieces. 

You may also need to avoid eating foods such as a whole apple. Oftentimes, you’ll open your mouth wider than you should to take a bite of that apple. Instead, consider cutting the apple into smaller portions that are easy to chew. 

 

While these foods won’t cause you to eat too big of a bite, you should still be careful when eating them.

• Hard candies – can chip your teeth

• Ice – easily breaks teeth and restorations

• Popcorn kernels and nuts – can get caught between teeth or chip them 

 

Your jaw and teeth are strong, but they are not safe from harm. You must care for your teeth and protect them. You only get one permanent set of teeth and they need your help to persevere for many years to come. Speak with your dentist in Indianapolis, IN if you are having trouble with your mouth while eating.