Moriscatio buccarum, or chronic cheek chewing, is a condition which causes some people to obsessively chew on the skin of their cheeks, lips, or tongue. Not too long ago, I dismissed cheek chewing as a bad habit at worse, and something patients just needed to pay attention to and just quit, easy as that. However, I have recently come to find out that the issue may go much deeper than that.

Not to be confused with accidental cheek biting or biting the cheeks while asleep due to grinding or clenching, chronic cheek chewing causes significant damage to the soft tissues in the mouth. Some people do chew their cheeks as a habit, which means it can fairly easily be replaced with another, less damaging habit such as chewing gum. Chronic cheek chewing, on the other hand, is an obsessive condition which continues despite several attempts to stop.

Chronic cheek chewing is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), as a body focused repetitive behavior, or BFRB. Other types of BFRBs include hair pulling and skin picking, among others. Research shows that there may be a genetic predisposition to these disorders, but there is also usually an emotional or stress-related trigger that starts the behavior. A person suffering from chronic cheek chewing may not realize they are doing it, and may enter a calm or trance-like state while chewing on their cheeks or tongue, only realizing the damage they have inflicted after an episode of chewing.

Frequently, cheek chewers may perceive a small lump, lesion, or blemish which they feel compelled to remove from the skin inside their mouth. They may experience an overwhelming urge to remove the blemish by chewing it away, at which point they get stuck in a sort of emotional and behavioral loop, repeating the action in a way that feels out of their control. Psychologists advise patients to state in words in their mind, “I am chewing my cheek” or some similar phrase to help focus and break the loop. It is then important that the individual identifies what happened just before the episode that may have started it. Were they feeling stressed or afraid? Did something happen to make them feel like they had to take back control of their situation? In some cases, an acrylic guard may be fashioned to cover the teeth and prevent them from being able to cut into the skin.

Because cheek chewing is frequently associated with very deep anxiety problems, it is advisable to seek the advice of a psychologist or therapist if a patient feels their cheek chewing is more than just a bad habit. In general, chewing lesions are fairly benign, but it’s always good to have your dental team take a look. The team here at Lake Baldwin Dental is prepared to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with this type of behavior. Keep smiling, Orlando!