Will bone loss occur if you don't bite into food?

[kluun1985]

For example if I eat a piece of bread, I will simply cut it in pieces and put it in my mouth. I always thought that this would keep my front teeth healthy. But I just read an article which claimed that bone loss can occur if you don't bite into food? As not biting, won't stimulate bone growth.

Does anyone know whether this is true?

 

[MountainMama]

I have never heard that, but I am not a dentist. I know bone loss occurs when you don’t have the tooth anymore, but getting an implant is supposed to help. I thought infection and/or no tooth in place was the reasons for bone loss.
I don’t really use my front teeth. I lost one due to infection from a childhood injury and have an implant in place now. I don’t like to bite with them, though.
I will be interested to see what the dentists say.

 

[LittleLynnie]

I have definitely heard that bone loss occurs if teeth aren't biting, so am very interested to see what a dentist has to say about this.

 

[kluun1985]

I have never heard that, but I am not a dentist. I know bone loss occurs when you don’t have the tooth anymore, but getting an implant is supposed to help. I thought infection and/or no tooth in place was the reasons for bone loss.
I don’t really use my front teeth. I lost one due to infection from a childhood injury and have an implant in place now. I don’t like to bite with them, though.
I will be interested to see what the dentists say.

Thank you for your reply. I can imagine plenty of people don't use their front teeth. Some simply don't like it, or just don't eat hard food items, or they avoid using their front teeth because they have veneers/implants/bridges etc.

 

[kluun1985]

I have definitely heard that bone loss occurs if teeth aren't biting, so am very interested to see what a dentist has to say about this.

But how many times should one bite everyday? What if I'm a fussy eater that only likes to drink soup, eat soft breads and mashed potatoes?

 

[Gordon]

Sounds like utter bollocks to me

Bone loss mainly occurs due to periodontal disease or when teeth aren't present the lack of the periodontal ligament triggers the body to remove the redundant jaw bone.

 

[MountainMama]

Sounds like utter bollocks to me

Bone loss mainly occurs due to periodontal disease or when teeth aren't present the lack of the periodontal ligament triggers the body to remove the redundant jaw bone.

Good to know! What about implants, though? If there is an implant but no ligament, will that trigger bone resorption?

 

[NETWizz]

Unless you have a medical reason not to bite into food, I would use my front teeth to do exactly that... I mean that is what incisors are intended to do.

Now my mother is front teeth started crumbling from chemotherapy a few years ago, but they are still vital (alive) and doing better now. She had some adhesive dentistry using composite resin to fix them temporarily.

The dentist said long term she recommends some veners or partial crowns, but while getting a cavity filled she said she would temporarily fix the front teeth to last about a year with some filling material...

Long story short, that was three years ago and they are still holding up great. She was told while it is okay to say bite into an apple, biting and ripping the apply away could causethe temporarily restoration to fail...

She has a reason not to bite down with her front teeth... but she is careful and all is well. If there is reason not to bite down, that is fine, but if it is something that can be fixed, I would see your dentist.

 

[Gordon]

Good to know! What about implants, though? If there is an implant but no ligament, will that trigger bone resorption?

Nope, it doesn't appear to. Presumably the implant just being there does something.

 

[MountainMama]

Nope, it doesn't appear to. Presumably the implant just being there does something.

Thank you. That is good.

 

[kluun1985]

Good to know! What about implants, though? If there is an implant but no ligament, will that trigger bone resorption?

I just found this:

'Natural teeth are embedded in the jawbone, and stimulate the jawbone through activities such as chewing and biting. When teeth are missing, the alveolar bone, or the portion of the jawbone that anchors the teeth in the mouth, no longer receives the necessary stimulation, and begins to break down, or resorb. The body no longer uses or needs the jawbone, so it deteriorates and goes away.'

Source: https://www.harbororalsurgery.com/procedures/bone-grafting/jawbone-loss-and-deterioration/

So by not biting the bone isn't growing anymore, it deteriorates and goes away.

Chewing, or mastication, is thought to impact jawbone structure as bone is continually reconstructed along with alterations in mechanical load.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190531100544.htm