Several reasons may cause people to bite their cheeks. Many times, cheek biting can be a small accident, but it may happen due to a mental disorder for many individuals.
If you talk while eating or carelessly chew, chances are you may accidentally bite your cheeks. Uninvited cheek biting can be painful and result in swelling and injury at the bite location.
If any of your friends or family member is habitual of biting the inside of the cheek, ask them to see their dentist. Misalignment of teeth or implants can also be the cause of biting. People may also bite their cheeks while sleeping.
Chronic cheek biting can be due to body-focused repetitive behavior and is a serious condition that should be addressed by a medical professional.
What Are The Causes Of Cheek Biting?
If you aren’t wearing any ill-fitted dental device or have any other oral issue, the reason behind chronic cheek biting may be a psychological one.
According to some, genetic factors also influence body-focused repetitive behaviors. For example, if your parent has this condition, it may increase your chances of getting it.
Researches are being conducted to find out the genes that contribute towards body-focused repetitive behaviors. This can help the doctors a lot in diagnosing and treating this disorder.
Emotional disturbance, anxiety, and environmental factors also add to the development of biting.
Are there any associated Complications?
Repeated biting on cheeks can make the area scarred, thick, and paler than the neighboring tissues. In severe cases, inflammation can be observed with bluish-purple spots.
The lining becomes less smooth, which can bring out the desire to bite the cheeks to level the surface. Too much biting can also erode the surface of the cheeks.
Chronic cheek biting cannot only bring physical complications but behavioral as well. Those engaged in chronic biting may start avoiding social gatherings to prevent others from noticing the odd behavior.
Those ashamed may go into isolation and have lowered confidence due to body-focused repetitive behaviors, and this can be bad for their overall health.
How To Stop Biting Your Cheek?
For an individual who keeps on biting his cheek, the dentist may prescribe a mouthguard. An oral guard can help avoid any more damage to the tissue, and it can better recover. The ideal length of time to wear a mouthguard is till the cheek heals fully.
The following therapies can help with the condition:
- habit reversal training
- acceptance and commitment therapy
- cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- comprehensive behavioral treatment
- Medication along with psychotherapy
When to see a doctor
If you unintentionally daily bite your cheeks, you should visit the dentist near you. Your dentist can help find the cause of the condition and help treat any misaligned teeth or dental device.
If you live in Pasadena, Texas, or nearby areas, schedule an appointment with the dental experts at Pasadena Oral surgery. To get in touch, call (281) 299 0053.