Compulsively biting the inside of my cheeks

[trinidiva]

Ever since I was a child, I had a bad habit of chewing the inside of my cheeks. I would do it all the time and in some strange way, it was comforting to me. My childhood dentist told me to stop...that it could maybe cause cancer down the road but still over the years, I havent fully been able to stop. Sometimes when I catch myself doing it, I will stop myself now....but now I'm worrying myself to death about mouth cancer. I've done research and haven't found that it can cause cancer but more about it building calloused skin in that area, which it has for me. I am now putting it together that this could truly be categorized as OCD behavior. Dont know why the light bulb just went on today......
Does anyone else do this or something similar?

[jayj404]

I do the same thing lol. I have a lot of mouths tics. Now, i'm not a doctor, but I don't think that it is a problem unless you bleed when you do it. When I do it, I just bite the outside layers of skin. If you do it to the point of bleed,ing you could easily get an infection. It's really easy to get in infections in your mouth. If you do end up getting an infection, and if you leave it untreated it can spread to your throat.

[trinidiva]

I don't typically bit to the point of bleeding....but I think this last one was a little deeper than normal and may of taken off a little skin. Oh goodness....what happens when the infection spreads to your throat? They must treat it with antibiotics, right?

[NeverToo...Fear]

I've always had a terrible habit of biting my lip. And without even thinking about it, I will bite it till it bleeds, usually cause I always bite in the same spot...I'll even bite my lip when I'm nervous or anxious..I actually read somewhere that ppl with anxiety tend to do that, biting your lip or inside of your cheeks..didn't know it could cause possibly cause cancer though...crap, even sitting here thinking about that, I'm back to biting my lip...it helps me to put chap stick on my lips (my dad lightly suggested chicken shiit, and he guaranteed that would stop me biting my lip, lol... er, but putting that or chap stick on the inside of your cheek really would not be a good idea at all.) It's hard to stop a habit, but maybe replace it with a less harmful one could help you to stop biting the insides of your cheek.

[trinidiva]

I went to the dentist today and a mouth guard for the night was suggested. I just really need to try more more not to do it. I was also relieved to find out there was no serious damage to the gums.

[Ritch]

This will sound stupid but have you tried things like boiled sweets, chewing gum? just something to have in your mouth that may stop you from biting your cheeks?

[saralouise75]

I have done this for years.I actually push my cheeks in with my fingers so I can bite more skin.(if that makes sense)I didn't realise it could cause cancer?I will try to stop doing it although,I think it is just habit now.

[trinidiva]

This will sound stupid but have you tried things like boiled sweets, chewing gum? just something to have in your mouth that may stop you from biting your cheeks?

Yes, I use gum a lot...but I also seem to do this in my sleep...as I wake up doing this.....

[trinidiva]

I have done this for years.I actually push my cheeks in with my fingers so I can bite more skin.(if that makes sense)I didn't realise it could cause cancer?I will try to stop doing it although,I think it is just habit now.

Well, that's what my childhood dentist told me....I don't know if he was trying to scare me or not...when I looked it up online though, it says that it can cause callouses on the inner cheeks....and if you break the skin it can cause an infection.
Nothing about cancer, though.

[stephanie3126]

Not sure about the cancer thing. I'm by no means an expert but if you can't find anything about cancer, your dentist might've just been scaring you. Kind of like your parents telling you to eat carrots or your skin will turn orange. Wouldn't hurt to ask your dentist next time you go, they'll probably know more about it.

I have the same problem too, although I only do it once in a while. For some reason I do it the most when I'm on the subway going home, maybe I'm just nervous or something. I also have a problem with grinding my teeth together and I've been warned by my dentist and orthodontist that it can put stress on your jaw so in order for me to not do it, I bite on my cheeks a little bit. When I'm home I wear a bite plate to avoid my teeth grinding because when I do it a lot I develop frequent headaches.

It's not something you should do often even if it doesn't have severe effects. Like someone else said, try chewing gum or something to take your mind off of it. A mouthguard or a bite plate would definitely help as well.