DO YOU LOVE CHEWING GUM? Have you ever wondered if it was bad for your teeth? If you’re like many of us here at Comfort Dental here in Lafayette, gum is a “necessity” that some of us have a hard time going without!
It is thought that ever since Thomas Adams invented chewing gum back in 1870, it’s been one of the most common breath stabilizers around.
So… How is all this gum chewing affecting our teeth?
Good news! Chewing gum can actually help fight cavities! In fact, our team can actually recommends it! The act of chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which is a natural buffering and cleaning agent that kills cavity producing acids. In addition, a recent study shows that for those who do not naturally produce a sufficient amount of salivary flow on their own, frequently chewing a piece of gum can help remedy the problem.
Gum is also a great agent in fighting plaque.
Interesting Study: Plaque is one of the main cavities and periodontal disease contributors. The University of the Pacific School of Dentistry conducted an 8-week study where volunteers chewed BreathAssure Dental gum for 20 minutes a day while a control group chewed a placebo gum for the same amount of time. All test subjects practiced proper brushing and flossing techniques. The results of the study showed that BreathAssure reduced the accumulation of dental plaque by 35%.
Some types of chewing gum can also contain beneficial artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol, which has been found to inhibit bacterial growth and perhaps even reverse small lesions. However, in order to truly benefit from the Xylitol in gum you need to chew two pieces 3–5 times daily for at least five minutes at a time.
So what’s the catch? (Hint: Hold the Sugar)
Yes, you guessed it… There’s always a catch, right? Here it is. Brands of gum containing sugar can be harmful to your teeth if they’re chewed too often or taken out of your mouth too soon.
If you prefer gum containing natural sugar rather than artificial sweeteners, chew it for at least 15–20 minutes so that your saliva can rinse away the sugar residue once you’ve chewed out all the sugar.
Of course, whether or not you decide to chew gum is your decision—however, if you DO chew it, Dr. Brucken and Dr. Stubbs strongly recommend choosing a sugarless gum.
Another Catch (Hint: Jaw Pain)
If you’re susceptible to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder, or other face/jaw pain, the disadvantages of chewing gum may outweigh the benefits.
Isn’t it nice to learn that something you enjoy can actually be good for you too?! We hope you enjoy coming to see us at Comfort Dental, and we looking forward to seeing you soon!
