- Alleviates dry mouth discomfort
- Freshens breath
- Neutralizes acids formed from the mouth by bacteria
- Remineralizes enamel to strengthen teeth
- Cleans the mouth of food debris
- Whitens teeth by reducing stains and preventing stains from accumulating
- Reduces plaque
- Helps reduce cavities
- Reduces gingivitis to maintain healthy gums
- Kills the germs that cause bad breath
New research suggests that inflammation from the body could be a factor
associated using disease like heart disease and diabetes. This inflammation may
be related to the bacteria you find from the mouth. Research is on the horizon
to explore the role chewing gum might play from reducing inflammation causing
bacteria from the mouth and its contribution to overall health of the body.
Saliva is the most important component of oral health. Water comprises
99% of saliva and the remaining components are macromolecules, formed within
the acinar cells and secreted into the mouth. Saliva alone is a powerful
protector of the oral cavity. And, chewing gum is an efficient and pleasant way
to increase saliva without drugs. Increasing saliva from the mouth is
accomplished by the gustivatory action of gum and the mechanical action of
chewing. Together these forces stimulate the salivary glands to increase the
flow rate by about 10 times the resting state during the first few minutes of
chewing and keep it significantly elevated for as long as you chew. Stimulated
saliva is capable of maintaining a healthy mouth, correcting a potentially
harmful environment using its high concentration of buffers, minerals and
antibacterial components.
The chewing of gum is said to be the world’s most common habit, with
about 100,000 tons of it being consumed every year. Most of us are familiar
with the negative aspects of chewing gum, when we find it on chairs,
stuck under desks or contaminating pavements and therefore our shoes. However,
there are also many benefits to chewing gum.
Studies have shown that chewing gum can have an indirect, positive effect
on dental hygiene, teeth health. Chewing gum after meals helps to
stimulate the production of saliva and overall salivary flow. Saliva helps to
wash away and neutralize the acid produced by bacteria in plaque. This acid is
responsible for dental decay and bad breath. Chewing gum can also help relieve
pressure in your ears and sinuses by encouraging jaw movement.
The popular perception is that chewing gum is bad for the teeth.
However, many dentists (one source says 90%!) believe that chewing sugarless
gum after meals actually has health benefits!
The benefits arise from the fact that tooth decay occurs when
essential minerals are dissolved from the tooth enamel by acids produced by the
bacteria in plaque. Teeth are at their most vulnerable directly after meals and
snacks, when plaque acid levels can rise dramatically.
However, chewing gum removes these acids within minutes, thus slowing
down the process of tooth decay.
As I mentioned above, One reason for this is that chewing can stimulate
saliva production by up to ten-fold, thus flushing out oral bacteria.
Furthermore, saliva contains hydrogen carbonate ions, a mild alkali, which
serves to neutralize plaque acids. For this reason, hydrogen carbonate is used
in some toothpastes.
Saliva also contains minerals such as calcium, phosphate and fluoride
.all components of tooth enamel – which can be assimilated and thus help to
repair early decay and also strengthen tooth enamel.
On the other hand, chewing gum typically contains a sweetener of some
type. Chewing gum that contains sugar, for example, can be harmful to your
teeth. Sugar fuels the acid-producing bacteria in your mouth. Brands of gum
containing sugar can be harmful to your teeth if these types of gum are chewed
too often or are removed from the mouth too soon.
In fact, studies have shown that if a person chews gum containing sugar,
it should be chewed for at least 15 to 20 minutes. After this time, the sugar
is gone, but the saliva is sufficiently stimulated to rinse away some of the
sugar residue.
There are, however, a number of sweeteners that help prevent cavities
and reduce the acid production in your mouth. Xylitol, a natural
sweetener found in many fruits and vegetables, tastes and looks like sugar but
without the negative side effects. Chewing gum that contains high levels of
xylitol fights cavities and dental decay by creating an unwelcome environment
for bacteria. Xylitol is one of bacteria’s natural enemies-in a xylitol-rich
environment, bacteria lose their ability to stick to teeth and are therefore unable
to colonize and turn into plaque.
Clinical studies have shown reductions in tooth decay by up to 80% in
people who consistently use products sweetened with 100% Xylitol.
Gum chewing is an individual choice. If you chew gum, I strongly recommend a sugarless gum. It is a good idea to brush your teeth, or at least rinse your mouth with water after chewing gum. If you are susceptible to decay, gum containing Xylitol may have some benefit for you. If you experience muscle fatigue, jaw joint pain, or headaches from chewing gum, perhaps infrequent chewing or excluding gum altogether may be the best solution.
Resources
- This
article was previously published for Dentistry magazine from the
- Dental Health Magazine
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