Loud chewing, or audible mastication, is a common source of self-consciousness or annoyance. This phenomenon involves sensory perception, anatomical structure, and personal eating habits. Understanding the mechanics behind why your chewing sounds loud—especially to yourself—is the first step toward addressing the issue. The sound of eating is a combination of internal vibrations and external noises that create the perceived volume.
How We Hear Our Own Chewing
The reason your chewing often sounds louder to you than it does to others lies in the dual pathways through which sound travels to your inner ear. When you chew, the vibrations created are transmitted through the solid structures of your jawbone and skull, known as bone conduction. This internal route sends the sound directly to your cochlea, bypassing the outer and middle ear entirely.
Bone conduction emphasizes lower frequencies and provides a richer, more resonant quality to the sound, which makes the internal noise seem amplified and deeper. Others primarily hear the sound through air conduction, where sound waves travel through the air and into their ear canals. This external sound is often much quieter and less intense than the version you perceive inside your head.
This difference in auditory perception explains why a person might believe they are chewing loudly, even when others do not find the noise particularly disruptive. The act of chewing itself seals the ear canal, creating an “occlusion effect” that traps and intensifies the bone-conducted sound within your head, making the squishing and crunching sounds inescapable.
Structural Factors Affecting Sound Volume
Several fixed anatomical or physiological conditions can increase the inherent volume of mastication noise. One common source is Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) dysfunction, which involves the joint connecting the jawbone to the skull. When this joint is strained or misaligned, jaw movement can produce audible clicking, popping, or grinding sounds.
These joint sounds occur as the jaw moves and the disk of cartilage slips out of or back into place. Inflammation or imbalance in the surrounding muscles due to TMJ issues can also lead to forceful, noisy chewing patterns. Dental alignment issues, specifically malocclusion or a misaligned bite, also contribute to excessive noise.
If the upper and lower teeth do not meet correctly, the jaw must move unnaturally to grind food, generating louder percussive sounds during the bite-down phase. Nasal or sinus congestion is another factor that amplifies chewing noise. When nasal passages are blocked, a person is forced to breathe through their mouth while chewing, which releases more air and allows internal food sounds to escape freely, increasing the external volume.
Eating Habits That Amplify Noise
The most controllable aspects of loud chewing are the specific habits adopted during a meal. The most significant habit that amplifies noise for others is chewing with the mouth open, which allows air to escape and carry the food’s acoustic signature into the environment. This open-mouth chewing creates a greater acoustic surface area, projecting the squishing and grinding sounds across the table.
Taking excessively large bites forces the jaw to work harder and the mouth muscles to stretch, making it difficult to keep the lips sealed completely. When the oral cavity is over-filled, the movement of the tongue and jaw required to process the food is more vigorous, resulting in a louder, more turbulent sound. Eating too quickly is another behavioral contributor, as rapid jaw movements create a higher frequency of percussive impacts between the teeth and the food.
This hurried pace prevents moderating the force and speed of the bite, leading to sharper, more jarring noises. The type of food chosen also plays a major role in the volume produced. Foods that are hard, brittle, or crunchy, such as chips, raw carrots, or toasted bread, inherently produce more acoustic energy when fractured by the teeth. This effect, sometimes called the “Crunch Effect,” makes the sound more noticeable both internally and externally.
Strategies for Reducing Chewing Noise
Addressing loud chewing begins with adopting conscious, mindful eating practices. The most effective strategy is to consistently keep your lips sealed throughout the entire mastication process, preventing the air-conduction of internal food sounds. Reduce the size of your bites to an amount that allows your mouth to comfortably remain closed while the food is processed.
Slowing the pace of your meal can significantly reduce noise, allowing you to chew with less force and deliberate control over jaw movements. Aim to reduce the velocity of the initial bite and the grinding motion, which minimizes the percussive sound generated by the teeth.
For those who suspect a physical cause, consulting a dentist or an orthodontist can help address structural issues such as malocclusion or TMJ dysfunction. A professional can offer solutions ranging from dental appliances to jaw exercises that correct a misaligned bite or stabilize the jaw joint. Environmental controls can also be helpful, such as eating in settings with gentle background noise, like soft music, which can help mask the sound. Focusing on smaller portions, slower movement, and maintaining a sealed mouth provides the most direct path to a quieter dining experience.