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vanriggs t1_iyc9bfa wrote

>nor can they chew side to side

Do people normally chew side to side? Have I been doing it wrong all this time?

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gabby0197 t1_iycdalk wrote

Maybe it’s a weird way of describing the way we chew with our mouths closed? They way a dog chomps at food, like they’re trying not to drop it, maybe that’s the lack of “side to side?” I don’t know, I thought that was a weird description too.

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nim_opet t1_iycsiyu wrote

Basically humans (and other omnivores like pigs, chimps etc, not to mention the herbivores) grind their food with their molars (that’s why they have wide grinding surfaces). Dogs, canines in general and cats especially have teeth specialized to hold onto meat and shred strips before swallowing since there’s no need to grind cell walls (animal cells don’t have cell walls like plant ones).

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KypDurron t1_iycthkd wrote

Ok but what does "chew side to side" mean? In terms of the motion of the jaws.

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nim_opet t1_iyctp4f wrote

Your jaw can move up/down and side to side; like when you chew gum; that’s how grinding works. You don’t need majorly exaggerated left-right movement; simple up-down will also move it sideways across the molar surfaces

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SweetInternetThings t1_iyd8dwr wrote

Grab something to eat... Now while you're eating. Do you notice yourself only chewing on one side of your mouth? Or do you move the food from one side to the other?

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FireLordObamaOG t1_iyclxfy wrote

Basically vegetables need to be ground up by our teeth for proper digestion. Same goes for some other foods. But basically our ability to grind those foods is only necessary because of our diet

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UltimateDude121 t1_iycie8v wrote

We can move the food around in our mouths using our tongue. Dogs cannot.

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