{"id":1941,"date":"2021-03-01T19:20:25","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T19:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/?p=1941"},"modified":"2024-03-07T01:23:22","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T01:23:22","slug":"is-chewing-gum-good-or-bad-for-your-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/dental-blog\/is-chewing-gum-good-or-bad-for-your-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Chewing Gum Good or Bad for Your Teeth?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Find out how chewing gum affects your dental health and what type is safe to use<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve ever stepped in it or \u2014 heaven forbid \u2014 gotten it stuck in your hair, you know how troublesome gum can be.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You may need clarification about whether chewing gum is good or bad<\/strong>. On the one hand, if it promotes or increases saliva production<\/strong>, then on the other hand, it may cause gum diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n

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But does it cause as many issues inside your mouth as it does outside?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s dive deep into the story to clarify the fact about chewing gum. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Today, we\u2019ll be answering that question with the thoroughness and attention to detail that we always have here at Dental Express<\/strong><\/u><\/a>, empowering you to make an informed decision to protect and even improve your dental health.<\/p>\n

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As you\u2019ll discover, when you know what to look for and how to use it, gum can prevent tooth decay and cavities and provide several other benefits that might surprise you!<\/p>\n

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Gum Has Been Around for Millennia<\/h2>\n

Dating back to the ancient Greeks, people have been chewing \u201cgum\u201d for thousands of years.<\/p>\n

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By carefully cutting into the bark of various trees, our ancestors would cook and dry the sap to create an ancient form of gum.<\/p>\n

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The Greeks used to extract sap from the mastic tree and called the sticky byproduct \u201cmastiche.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The ancient Mayans were fond of the sap from the sapodilla tree. According to the Smithsonian Magazine<\/strong><\/u><\/a>, this chewy goo \u201cquenched thirst and staved off hunger\u201d and even helped fight to reduce bad breath<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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More recently, the Native Americans from the New England area gathered sap from the spruce tree to create gum. Following their example, European settlers began to make chewing gum themselves and eventually commercialized it.<\/p>\n

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Depending on who you talk to, gum can have a bit of a bad reputation. But if people have been using it for so long, it can\u2019t be all bad, right?<\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n

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Sugar-Containing Gum<\/h2>\n

Gum, as we know it today, is made up of sweeteners, artificial flavors, waxes, resins, and other ingredients.<\/p>\n

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And while several benefits arise from the simple act of chewing (which we\u2019ll cover in a moment), opting for sugary gum can offset these benefits and lead to dental health issues.<\/p>\n

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Most sugar-containing gums use sucrose as the sweetening ingredient, which has been shown to stimulate plaque growth<\/strong><\/u><\/a> and increase the risk of cavities.<\/p>\n

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By chewing these types of gum, you\u2019re essentially treating your teeth like a college football coach after a big win: drenching them with sugar.<\/p>\n

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When your oral bacteria break this sugar down, it creates biofilm and acid that erode your enamel and cause tooth decay.<\/p>\n

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Not to mention, excess sugar intake is linked to unwanted weight gain and various health conditions like diabetes and obesity.<\/p>\n

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So, sugar-sweetened gum isn’t just bad for your teeth<\/strong>. It\u2019s also bad for your overall health.<\/p>\n

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Sugar-Free Gum<\/h2>\n

Sugarless gums contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame, stevia, xylitol, erythritol, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0So, is chewing gum good for your teeth? The best answer to the question is sugar-free gums promote the production of saliva.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Producing adequate saliva helps you reduce plaque acid and tooth decay and ultimately promotes strengthened teeth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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These substances take the place of real sugar and open the door to a list of dental health and cognitive benefits\u2013without the risk of cavities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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For example, just the simple act of chewing can increase the amount of saliva in your mouth by up to twelve times the normal amount.<\/p>\n

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As we covered in a previous blog about dental health and genetics<\/strong><\/u><\/a>, more saliva means more protection against enamel demineralization, as it helps to balance out your mouth\u2019s pH levels.<\/p>\n

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What\u2019s more, according to the American Dental Association (ADA)<\/strong><\/u><\/a>, our normal saliva doesn\u2019t provide as much protection as the excess saliva our body produces when stimulated by chewing:<\/p>\n

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\u201cStimulated saliva has higher concentrations of total protein, sodium, total calcium, chloride and bicarbonate and therefore has a higher buffering capacity.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The higher level of proteins in your saliva helps remove carbohydrates that, when broken down, can lead to plaque buildup and gum disease.<\/p>\n

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This increase in potent saliva would also explain the dry mouth-curing effects that some people experience from chewing gum.<\/p>\n

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How Chewing Gum Can Prevent Cavities<\/h2>\n

It may be hard to believe, but chewing sugar-free gum can actually protect your teeth<\/strong> from tooth decay.<\/p>\n

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One study<\/strong><\/u><\/a> reported that people who chewed sugar-free gum for twenty minutes after their meals had far fewer cavities than people who didn\u2019t. These impressive results can likely be explained by the increased production of pH-balancing saliva we discussed above.<\/p>\n

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Also, there\u2019s a certain artificial sweetener\u2013a secret ingredient, if you will\u2013that works wonders for your dental health in ways that others can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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Sugar-free gums sweetened with xylitol<\/strong><\/u><\/a> are shown to reduce the development of cavity-causing oral bacteria significantly.<\/p>\n

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To be more specific, 100% xylitol-sweetened gum is what you\u2019re looking for if you want to protect your teeth while you chew.<\/p>\n

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NOTE: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that can cause digestive issues in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If you have IBS, look for sugar-free gum that contains stevia.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The benefits of chewing gum don\u2019t stop there…<\/p>\n

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Chewing Gum May Improve Memory and Cognitive Performance<\/h2>\n

Alertness, productivity, cognition.<\/p>\n

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The scientific community isn\u2019t exactly sure why, but chewing gum has been shown to increase these factors in various studies.<\/p>\n

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While more research is needed, one study<\/strong><\/u><\/a> showed that chewing gum increased test subjects\u2019 performance on short-term memory tests by 24% and long-term memory tests by up to 36%.<\/p>\n

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Another study<\/strong><\/u><\/a> revealed that chewing gum throughout the day enhanced alertness, productivity, and reduced cognitive issues.<\/p>\n

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These performance-boosting improvements haven\u2019t been irrefutably proven by scientific research, but if you like to chew gum and can prevent cavities in the process, why not take the chance?<\/p>\n

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Is Chewing Gum Bad for You?<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re someone who suffers from migraines or tension headaches, research suggests limiting how often you chew gum.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chewing too much gum may lead to temporomandibular disorders; if not limited, the habit may worsen the situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Although the evidence is limited, there\u2019s reason to associate frequent chewing with headache \u201cattacks\u201d and migraines.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Also, a recent study<\/strong><\/u><\/a> reported that of 200 subjects\u2013half with a gum-chewing habit and half without\u2013those who chewed regularly experienced jaw clicking and pain much more frequently than the control group.<\/p>\n

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These results suggest that excessive chewing can lead to temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which can cause pain, discomfort, and clicking or locking of the jaw.<\/p>\n

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So, What\u2019s the Verdict?<\/h2>\n

With all these factors in mind, here\u2019s what we recommend:<\/p>\n