# What side of your mouth do you chew more food on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849 "2011-07-04T22:11:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/1 "2011-07-04T22:11:52Z")
For reasons unknown to me, I preferentially use the right side of my mouth for chewing more than the left side. I don’t know if it has to do with the fact that I’m right-handed. Does anyone else have a preference like this? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/2 "2011-07-04T22:29:56Z")
Yep. I’m right-handed, but chew on my left side predominantly. I especially noticed this when I had a root canal on my bottom left molar, and had to chew on the other side of my mouth for a little bit. It felt completely wrong to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/3 "2011-07-04T22:40:02Z")
Right. I have a bad tooth on the left that I cannot afford to get fixed, and I don’t yet want pulled. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/4 "2011-07-04T23:07:32Z")
I voted “other”, because I’m in a temporary situation, which I will try to explain as briefly as I can. Due to removals required by root failures, I have two teeth missing in my right lower jaw. Because of that I chew almost entirely on the left side of my mouth. However, I am in process of getting implants to fill that space. Once the related crowns are installed, I have no idea what side of my mouth I’ll mostly use. I’d guess the left side, purely out of habit, at least at first, but have no idea if it might go to the right side sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/5 "2011-07-04T23:36:17Z")
Fact: people tend to chew on the same side of their mouth as their dominant hand. Of course, dental problems and injuries and other issues can be mitigating factors. But among people with no existing dental issues or specific reasons for chewing on one side, this is true. I can cite if really needed, I just don’t wanna. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/6 "2011-07-04T23:54:41Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Fact: people tend to chew on the same side of their mouth as their dominant hand. Of course, dental problems and injuries and other issues can be mitigating factors. But among people with no existing dental issues or specific reasons for chewing on one side, this is true. I can cite if really needed, I just don’t wanna. Yeah, I’d need a cite for that. I’m looking at various polls online, and they’re all over the place, with some posters even saying that the tendency is inverse to handedness. The best I could find scientifically is [this](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11494464). > [@](#): > > No statistically significant correlation was found between the hand that holds the fork, the side of the mouth chewed on, and the DMF score. This study did not confirm the existence of a dominant side of the mouth with respect to chewing. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/7 "2011-07-04T23:55:21Z")
The inside. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/8 "2011-07-04T23:57:56Z")
Normally I have no preference, but I had gum surgery last week and thus could not chew on the right side of my mouth. Every time I put food in my mouth the first thing I would do was try and chew on the right side. Murphy hates me and/or I don’t learn very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/9 "2011-07-05T00:01:53Z")
I’m originally a right-handed left side chewer. But since I heard somewhere chewing predominately on one side for a prolonged period will actually cause your face to deform/curve resulting in asymmetry (similar effect to wearing braces) hence I’ve been making conscious effort to chew on my right side (no, I see no clear evidence of warpage but just in case). However, I often find myself back to chewing on the left side, habit. But I figure since I chew on my right side more than left, my facial symmetry should even out soon…? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/10 "2011-07-05T00:14:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, I’d need a cite for that. I’m looking at various polls online, and they’re all over the place, with some posters even saying that the tendency is inverse to handedness. The best I could find scientifically is [this](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11494464). I meekly withdraw my claim… ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/11 "2011-07-05T00:46:02Z")
I split my food in half in my mouth and then chew on both sides evenly. If it isn’t even it feels wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/12 "2011-07-05T00:50:08Z")
I have a bridge on my left front upper teeth and I rarely tear with that side. But I have bridges, both upper and lower on the right molars and I still chew mostly on that side. I am right-handed. ---
**Author:** ![JoThrive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@JoThrive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoThrive)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/13 "2011-07-05T00:58:56Z")
I’m right-handed, and chew mostly on the right side of my mouth. I guess I have no particular reason for my choice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/14 "2011-07-05T07:22:16Z")
Right side, only because my dental occlusion is better on that side. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/15 "2011-07-05T11:30:29Z")
Ambidexterous, and it varies. I have TMJ and bruxism and though I have trained myself to sleep with my mouth open slightly [mouthpieces make me feel like I am being smothered] I occasionally bite my tongue. Well I also will accidentally bite my tongue while awake as well. I also get mouth sores from the colchicine, so if I have a sore spot in my mouth I will chew on the other side, or if I have a lot of mouth sores I will opt for stuff that requires little chewing. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/16 "2011-07-05T18:39:05Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > I split my food in half in my mouth and then chew on both sides evenly. If it isn’t even it feels wrong. We were meant to be together. Nobody else understands this. Actually, you may not understand - it’s not exactly the same. Even my partner thinks it’s weird (cute, but weird) that I have to take an even number of bites/pieces to make sure I use both sets of teeth the same number of times. There isn’t anything else that I’m like this about, just chewing. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/17 "2011-07-05T20:38:03Z")
I voted other, as it totally depends on which tooth is giving me the most problems that day. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-mouth-do-you-chew-more-food-on/587849/18 "2011-07-06T12:46:54Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > I voted other, as it totally depends on which tooth is giving me the most problems that day. 😛 I suspect we’re going to get a lot of answers alike this. Thre months ago, I couldn’t tell you. Then I got a bunch of fillings on the right. I became a left chewer. My bite on the right is still off, and a bit painful. Last night I got two fillings on the left. Now that’s off too. That’s seven fillings since January. So my answer? Applesauce.