I have this problem too and have been doing it for as long as I can remember. I do it when I am stressed or nervous so I carrie around hard candys or gum in my purse and whenever I notice myself doing it I pop one of these in my mouth and it really seems to help. It is just a bad habbit like biting your nails. I would try this and if it doesn't seem to help, see your doctor...he/she may have a better solution for you! :-)
EAT MORE FOOD, sugery foods can cause cheek biting as the suger can stick to the side of your mouth and a sub consious Tastyness will take over saying HEY CHEW ME, i eat of alot sugery foods and i love soda i do chew my cheeks, but lesser, just eat less sugery foods and eat more food, could be diat food in case of you ppl who care about your size and shape, i have a super metabolizm and i dotn gain w8 so i eat alot, but generaly its sugery food, or nervesness so calm down eat more/ OR if u already eat more eat less, could be u telling your self your hungry or you eat to much.
As long as I can remember I have bitten the inside of my cheeks. I don't use my fingers or anything, and it's not because I want the inside to be smooth again.. that doesn't bother me.
I really just chew on the insides for awhile until I realize I am doing it -- usually because I have chewed it up to the point that I can feel it.
It kinda feels.. good? The action seems to help me relax. (I am also studying for an exam right now as many have mentioned).
I don't really notice any long term issues. So I guess my cheek biting isn't as severe as others and I probably wont stop doing it (although I try to stop once I've noticed I am doing it, because I don't want to hurt actually myself).
I suppose it is unconciously a coping mechanism to deal with stress, and once brought to conciousness we feel guilty for essentially mutilating ourselves (and somewhat liking it). I do actually enjoy the biting, so IDK.
Very interesting concept.
i tried that and it works some what for the outside as for the inner lip and inside cheek is still a problem thou its the feeling of it feeling all dry and uneven and i dont know what to do bc i just cant get myself to stop i been doin it for years on end and i know that it will not get any better if i keep it up so if you found any new solutions let me know please
There seems to be an echo in this thread.. come on guys. Instead of "omg I haz that too!", why don't we try to brainstorm together in ways in which we can overcome this compulsion. The last couple days I've been making a strong effort to quit indefinitely. My logic is that once my mouth is fully healed, it will be much easier to resist the urge to chew. So it's just a matter of stopping completely until then. Like others have identified, its the lack of smoothness in my mouth that seems to be the trigger.My methods for forcibly making it impossible to chew are quite simple. Whenever I notice myself doing it, I stick my tongue out as far as I can so I can't move my mouth around. This not only looks ridiculous (which makes it more encouraging to stop), it also takes a couple minutes for your tongue to dry out, which is like a timer of when you should stick your tongue back inside and try to completely resist again. I've tried gum, but what happens is I'll just chew all my gum too fast, or continue biting in the front of my mouth while chewing gum in the back. I just thought I'd share as this method requires nothing other than having a tongue, and willpower. Also, just a thought: setting up a mirror where you can constantly see yourself might help. Like beside your monitor or something. Seeing it in action will only make yourself more determined to quit.Let's share more ideas guys.
Hi Everyone. I've also had the problem of biting the inside of my lips and cheeks. I've been doing it for about 40 years. During that time, I've quit chewing on 3 occasions using the same strategy each time. The first two times I quit for 3 or 4 months, and this last time I'm sitting at around 6 months and I'm sure I'll never start again. My strategy is simple -and difficult at the same time. I put an elastic band on my wrist and give it a good snap whenever I find myself biting. The first day I have a red and sore wrist. By the second day, I am noticing immediately when my teeth make contact, and still snapping (much less by 2nd day), and by the 3rd day, I'm snapping only 3 or 4 times. You quickly get to the point where you are noticing before the actual bite occurs.
Why I failed on the first two attempts at quitting, was because I slowly began nibbling without actually causing any damage - I didn't really see any harm in that, and it just snowballed from there. Now, if my teeth start to nibble when I'm focussed elsewhere, I picture my lips all chewed and sore, and ask myself if that is where I want to be again in a few months. Because I now know that if I continue the nibbling, that is where it will lead.
Anyway, it seems to be working for me. The only thing I want to stress is that you must snap the elastic immediately and everytime - and it has to hurt.
Good luck
Doug
Meeee tooooo! I gonna try the rubber band plan.
me 2, i tired so manytimes to stop but like u said the skin b roogh u have no chose but to bite it off..usually when my hands r busy im not biting..its a long story but i been doing is since i was young & sometimes i dont notice im doin it till somebody says something..i have a black mark on the side of my lip & that mark wants me to stop but the habit is just to bad..
I also bite the inside of my mouth. I have been doing it for many years now and im only 25. I noticed that when I was pregnant with my son I stopped everything! I didn't bite my nails, the skin around my nails, the inside of my mouth or crack my knuckles anymore. Those nine months were the most liberating! I also noticed that during those nine months, I stayed at home and didn't stress at all. Now that I am a single mother and working and going to school I am under a lot of stress and I find myself biting my cheeks. Although, I do not do it as bad as others who have commented. Luckly, after I gave birth to my son I never bit my nails again, and as long as I get my nails done I don't bite the skin around them either. What I did go back to was biting the inside of my mouth and cracking my knuckles. But when I don't stress I hardly do either. I think it really has to do with being stressed out more than anything! Chewing gum or sucking on candy is the best answer I have for this problem. Also, maybe do some yoga or anything else that relaxes you. Anything that will cause less stress will always be helpful. I also read that taking Vitamin A can reduce stress levels. That could be an idea as well. Something that helps me through the day...If you believe in God...I always remind myself that God never gives me more than what I can handle and that relaxes me. Just know that things will always work out in the end, whether it's good or bad. I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason in life. So whatever you are going through just know that it will be ok! I know it may sound stupid but these are just little things I tell myself to relax me and think positive!! I wish the best luck to all of you!
One thing a very wise Physical Therapist told me to do was to cluck 5 times a day as well as whenever you notice yourself biting or clenching. Cluck meaning click your tongue on the top of your mouth. The normal position of your tongue should be resting on the roof of your mouth, and your teeth should never touch. This will teach your mouth to go back to its normal resting state while getting rid of the bad habit.
Good luck, Doug