# People with no teeth **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272 "2009-02-24T21:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/1 "2009-02-24T21:27:05Z")
I’m very curious, and my Google-fu is not strong today. Being a regular rider on public transportation, I see many folk who have no teeth. These folks more often than not “chew” constantly, like their tongue is bubble gum or something. I know the teeth help the face maintain its structure, and a lot of the people I see seem to already have a sunken appearance. I’m guessing they’ve been without a full set of teeth for a while. Why the constant “chewing”? is there a real medical reason, some kind of reflex or something, the body attempting to retain some facial structure? It seems quite involuntary. I’ve not been able to get the right combination of key words, for nothing googles, and searching the Dope came up nothing, though search doesn’t always work for me here. So what say you? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/2 "2009-02-25T20:20:39Z")
Really? Nobody’s got nuthin’? Is this a question to be considered by Cecil and his team? There’s got to be some kind of reson for this phenomenon, I have a hard time believing folks do all that crazy-looking chewing totally on purpose! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/3 "2009-02-25T20:37:25Z")
How big of a sample are we talking? Maybe the folks with no teeth you’ve seen happen to have other disorders that make them have this tic? ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/4 "2009-02-25T21:04:13Z")
IANADentist. If a person chews or grinds their teeth constantly without food (or some other intervening substance such as a bite guard) in the mouth, their teeth may become excessively worn. This would make the teeth more susceptible to decay, which could ultimately result in the loss of those teeth. Eventually, this person would be left with no teeth while the chewing behavior persists. Another possiblity is [rumination disorder](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_disorder), in which one brings up partially digested food into the mouth and re-chews it. The constant exposure to acid in the regurgitated food can damage the teeth, making them susceptible to decay and loss. The regurgitation/chewing persists even if the person has no teeth left. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/5 "2009-02-25T21:06:27Z")
Mmm, I wouldn’t think so. These are older folks, mostly probably at least over 60, definitely can be in the 70’s range, who take the bus. I have been seeing more now, I think, thanks to “Governor” Blago-ass and the mandatory free rides for senior citizens. But I don’t think they’re people with other problems, except, you know, poverty. I see (or notice) 1 or 2 a week, and take the bus about 12-15 times a week. (On preview, I see **cwthree’s** response - this was answering **gigi** ) (On Edit - I read **cwthree** and it doesn’t appear to be that.) I may have to take a video next time I see it. My grandmother did it, too, when her dentures were out. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/6 "2009-02-25T21:56:37Z")
It may also be that jaw motions that are subtle and hard to notice that we all do become exaggerated and very noticeable without teeth in the way… but that’s a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/7 "2009-02-25T22:43:52Z")
My grandmother used to do it. I once asked my grandfather why, and he said it was a side effect of her medication - made her constantly thirsty. You just didn’t notice it when her teeth were in. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/8 "2009-02-25T23:20:25Z")
I had a friend in his 50’s who would occasionally make little chewing motions, e.g. when about to speak or thinking about something. He had all his teeth. I think its just nervous energy, figiting. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-no-teeth/487272/9 "2009-02-25T23:45:27Z")
I would agree with what **Broomstick** said, and add that if someone is missing many or all of their teeth, their jaw has no solid resting place. If the upper and lower jaw do not have a positon where they firmly fit together, any movement of the tongue, or lips, moves the jaw.