Clenching And Switching Sides

[fadingdaylight]

So, I have found that my sweet spot is on the left, right in the corner. Now my question is, where is your spot, or do you switch it up? If you switch, why?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Mine is the same side. They just fit a gap between my eye tooth and molar so well. But, my dentist says that I should switch often, to keep from burning my taste buds off of part of my tongue. But, for the life of me I just cant stand it to switch to the other side. I can for about ten minutes, and then the pipe ends up on the other side without me thinking about it.

 

[eastwoodaudio]

Same for me as well, corner of the mouth, left side. I try to switch it up when my jaw gets tired, or develop a "hot spot", but it doesn't feel the same. I almost subconsciously switch back as well. Habits die hard I guess.

 

[theboz]

I switch to give my teeth and jaw a break, but I prefer clenching in the same spot as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Maybe the Devil controls that side of your body? rsuniv. Ha ha!! Or, you were born backwards? Just thoughts

 

[rayje589]

I'm a bit of a switcher. Though tend to prefer my right side.

 

[kalvort]

Right handed, right side of the mouth. Just the way I do it, because it feels so weird on the left! As for clenching, I only do it with a softie bit, and now I'm learning not to clench anymore because I'm a wet smoker, and clenching makes me salivate more and more.

-Lateef

 

[cobguy]

I usually only clench with my cobs and usually only while driving or walking.
However, when I do, it's always the left side corner and I'm right handed.

 

[rangerearthpig]

I don't clench. I'm right handed, and I prefer the right, but occasionally switch to the left.

 

[brudnod]

I am ambidextrous partly due to the fact that I was born lefty and my parents changed me to righty since there were no left-handed desks in my elementary school. That would NEVER happen today. Be that as it may, I tend to smoke on the side that is other than the phone or handling my Kindle. If I have nothing else going on, I smoke with whatever hand is available. I'm guessing that the dominant hand is the preferred hand...

Spencer

 

[fadingdaylight]

Interesting, Im right handed, clench left. I occasionally try to switch to right when my jaw or teeth ache, but it always feels wrong, so it goes back to the left. Never tried softie bits, seems like too much material being stuffed in my mouth. I buy saddle stem pipes so I wont have as much to clench. I dont want it to be like the bite block at the dentist or anything. I barely get the button past my teeth, and sometimes I angle it so Im biting on that too. I have always had a tendency to grit my teeth, so it just comes natural for me to hold it in my teeth. Im trying to get the natural breathe technique down.
Anyhow, thanks for the feedback. At least now I know Im not the only one cooking the same spot on their tongue all day, lol.

 

[eastwoodaudio]

You gotta give the softie bits a try, they are very inexpensive. I found it helps an incredible amount, and I wont clench without one now.
As far as the same spot on the tongue, I rarely switch it up when I'm not clenching.

The natural breathe technique was a game changer for me, good luck with it!

 

[andystewart]

Another wonderfully diverting, random thread featuring the usual suspects - fading, cosmic, rsuninv, and ranger! I'm right handed and I clench on the right; right under my canine, which has put a very precise pin dent in the stem of each of my daytime pipes. Bugger. I do switch, but it requires thought and feels strange. However, I've noticed that I seem to be developing my own version of the natural breathe technique (http://www.glpease.com/Articles/BreathSmoking.html) which - while not as Zen as Mr Pease's example - seems to give a wonderful smoke with far less effort. Now if I can master not grinding the crap out of my mouthpiece I'll be there! The softies sound good and I almost bought some yesterday. Probably next order...
Andy

 

[fadingdaylight]

Thanks for the link Andy, I havent read that yet.

 

[aquilas]

I was actually thinking about this while I was at a b&m yesterday. I noticed I was clenching like 90% of the time on my left side, but whenever I tried to clench with my right side, I just couldn't do it. Weird. I'm another one of those weirdo cases where I'm right-side dominant, but with other things, I'm left-side dominant (ie. clenching with my left and being goofy footed when it comes to skateboarding).

 

[allan]

I try to switch off to the right side (I'm right handed) but it seems to magically move to the left.

 

[fadingdaylight]

Aquilas- I was goofy footed too

 

[namuna]

* I am left-handed

* I switch back and forth

* Clenching on the left-side feels more natural

* Clenching on the right-side is to even-out the wear-n-tear on the mouth/tastebuds/etc...But also because I can MUCH better discern the smells and flavors of my aros on the right-side.

 

[davidintexas]

I'm left handed. Bat right handed. Bowl right handed. Golf right handed. Kick a ball right footed. Throw left handed. Eat left handed. Turn the pages of a book right handed. Usually have the pipe on left side of mouth when clenching, but move to right on occasion. I don't know what I am. I'm confused 8O

 

[bryanf]

Ambidextrous here. I like to clench on both sides to get flavor around different sides of my tongue.
One side doesn't feel more comfy than another, but I'm lucky to have been born with very symmetrical teeth.
It seems that most people clench by biting just after the button. I clench much further down the stem with my molars usually, and I'm generally not happy with the way my pipe clenches until I've properly worn in some tooth grooves for a custom fit.