Clues You May Have a Bad Bite

We get so used to our bites that you may have bad bite issues and not even know it. The best way to be diagnosed with a “good” or “bad” bite is to come in for a consultation with an orthodontist and have them analyze your bite for you.

That said, there are some tricks you can use to determine if you might have a bad bite. These include:

• Clenching Teeth Test – The simplest way is to see if you might have an issue with your bite is to brush your teeth (to ensure no food is stuck in your mouth) and then clench your teeth hard. If you experience any pain, sensitivity, unusual sensations or discomfort, there is a chance that you have a bad bite.
• Unexplained Tooth Sensitivity/Headaches – If you have tooth sensitivity that isn’t easy to explain, persistent headaches, or a jaw that feels tired or painful, that may also be a sign that you have a bad bite.
• Worn Down Teeth – Open your mouth, look in the mirror, and try to shine a light on your teeth. If they look like the enamel is wearing down, giving it a “flat” appearance, it may be a sign that you’ve started to wear down teeth due to a bad bite.
• Sound Test – You can also try a sound experiment. Tap your teeth together gently. If you hear multiple sounds, that’s a sign your teeth are all touching at once. If you hear only one sound or two sounds, you may have only a few teeth touching and the rest not aligning properly.

Of course, some bad bites are easy to see simply by looking at your teeth. If you have an underbite, for example, then you would be diagnosed with a bad bite.