I'm wondering if you have such a habit of chewing foods on just one side of your mouth. You know, such habit will cause adverse effects in the long run. Below are part of them.

1. Malocclusion

The repeated chewing motion of the chewing side will dislocate the median line of the lower anterior teeth, resulting in an edge-to-edge, tip-to-tip occlusion, or even a cross bite (when you close your mouth, your upper teeth are sitting inside your lower teeth);

2. Asymmetrical Face

The frequent use of the chewing side can step up the development of jaw bones and muscles, thus the facial tissues on that side is well-grown. The other side which is never or seldom used is poorly developed due to lack of exercise. As a result, it will shrink and become smaller, causing asymmetrical face, with one side larger than the other;

3. Dental caries and gingivitis

The teeth of the unused side will receive a large amount of plaque and tartar because of the lack of chewing motion. As a result, the teeth will be susceptible to dental caries, gingivitis or periodontitis;

4. Serious tooth wear

The teeth on the chewing side may be severely worn due to long-term excessive bite load, which can cause soreness or other symptoms when you eat cold, hot, sour, sweet foods. In more serious cases, it will cause gingival inflammation that generates severe pain;

5. Temporomandibular joint disease

Long-term unilateral mastication brings excessive movement and bite load to the temporomandibular joint on the chewing side, making it uncoordinated with the joint on the other side. In this situation, the symptoms such as tension, sounds in the joint when you close your mouth, pain, and restriction in mouth opening will arise;

6. Stomach disease

People with unilateral mastication often swallow foods instead of chewing them thoroughly. In this way, the amylase in the saliva cannot mix with the starch in the food, thereby increasing the burden on the stomach, which is likely to develop stomach disease.

The unilateral mastication is more frequently seen in adolescents. The common reason is that the adolescents may have dental problems on one side of their mouths,  like tooth pain, food stuck between the teeth or chewing inconvenience, so they avoid using that side consciously. As time passes by, they make it a habit of chewing with only one side of the mouth. Now, here's a reminder for all, especially for the adolescents, you should consciously use your teeth on both sides to chew while eating, so as not to form unilateral chewing habit.