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The Best Chewing Habits for Maintaining Jaw Health

by Guillermo

Maintaining good jaw health and its importance is often overlooked in the discussion of oral health care. The foundation of the teeth are jaw and having them in better shape and health is important to have better teeth and gum health. It also helps in shaping the face aesthetic and keeping it in better shape is therefore essential. 

Chewing is a function where the jaw plays a major role and hence, maintaining proper chewing habits is essential. Though this process seems like an automatic one there are factors like the way you chew, the types of food you consume, and healthcare habits you practice that shape your jaw health by impacting your alignment and jaw strength. 

Get professional insight on the ways you can manage your jaw better from a dentist in River Forest who will give you a tailored plan suitable for you. To learn about some changes that can help you with better maintenance of your jaw read this article. 

Ways You Can Manage Your Jaw Health Better

Chew Properly On Both Sides 

Make sure to divide the load of chewing evenly to both sides so that you will not strain one side of your jaw and cause stress on the temporomandibular joints. Excess strain can cause headaches and or even temporomandibular joint disorders. 

Especially when you are eating hard foods like nuts and raw vegetables, make a habit of chewing and passing down the food left and right. This way you will strengthen your jaw health and avoid strain on one side.

Incorporate Healthy Food Better Jaw 

For enhancing your jaw health include the mixture of soft and hard food in your diet for the workout your jaw needs. Crunchy vegetables like cucumber, celery, carrots, and fruits like apples, and pears are good options for stimulating jaw muscles while getting essential nutrients too. 

Add lean proteins and whole grain crackers to your diet, which helps in giving your food a crunch, but lean proteins like fish and chicken, even if soft, do not give your jaw work to do. However, having harder food helps avoid excessive indulgence in the same to prevent straining your jaw.

Avoid Chewing Excessively

Though it is better to chew properly for better digestion, you do not have to chew too much. It will then harm your jaw if the muscles are moving too much and can cause you headaches, especially when you wake up. 

If you have the habit of chewing gum when anxious and stressed, you can choose to chew on sugar-free gum but not for more than 20 minutes, and it is better to not do that regularly. This will give your jaws a mild workout and will also not stress them too much.

Practice Eating Mindfully

Take smaller bites so that you can chew properly and slowly. Chew 20 times and softly to break down the particles properly and not harm the jaw health too. Be present fully when you are eating, and do not just hurriedly gobble up everything and chew excess of it later. You will be able to enjoy your food way better if you practice habits of eating slowly and deliberately. These habits will also help prevent strain on your jaw.

Do Not Clench Or Grind Your Jaw

The habit of excessive clenching and grinding of teeth will significantly affect the teeth and jaw. This habit is usually the result of stress and anxiety, and in those emotional states, there is no balance, which leads to severe headaches, jaw pain, and temporomandibular joint issues too. 

Use stress balls and practice breathing exercises to reduce stress and anxiety. If you have the habit of clenching it in sleep, use a mouth guard when you sleep to prevent it. 

Get In Touch With Your Dentist Soon!

If you feel pain in your jaw, even a mild one, do not avoid it and consult your dentist as soon as possible. Because there might be an underlying issue that will escalate into a more serious one if not promptly treated. A dentist will give you treatment by looking at current conditions and assessing your past reports. 

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