It's not a new fact that chewing gum is not healthy for the teeth, and not forgetting that sugar on its own creates cavities. According to a recent study, it shows that products that contain sugar can be just as damaging to your teeth as sugar itself; many of these products contain acid that causes tooth erosion. You are at risk of developing dental caries when you often chew gum containing sugar. However, you tend to stimulate the production of saliva which is beneficial to your oral health when you chew sugar-free gum, according to evidence over the past 30 years. The bottom line is that chewing gum can be very bad for your oral health, and at the same be good for your oral health; it all depends on the kind of gum you chew.
Avoid Chewing Gum Sweetened With Sugar
Gum has always been almost every kid and even adult favorite. Who doesn’t love that sweet burst of flavor? Unfortunately, gum sweetened with sugar is bad news for teeth. Sorry to surprise you, you are not the only one satisfying your sweet tooth when you choose sugary chewing gum, the bacteria in our mouths like sugar too. These bacteria use sugar as fuel and they continue enjoying it long after we’ve to spit our gum out, producing acids that weaken tooth enamel and cause cavities.
Stick To Sugarless Gum
You must have heard about sugar-free gums, yes they exist. Apart from the fact that they can boost your oral health, they can also help increase saliva flow in your mouth, washing away food debris and bacteria and at the same time strengthening your teeth. This is also true for the gums containing sugar, but they do more harm than good. According to a study by the American Dental Association, it shows that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help you prevent tooth decay. Saliva contains calcium and phosphate that strengthens tooth enamel and also neutralize acids in our mouths after eating, getting the teeth in the line of defense against cavity-causing bacteria.
However, when choosing sugarless gum to make sure you find out if the gum has Xylitol in it. Xylitol is very effective in helping to get rid of bacteria which causes cavity and gum disease, they are mostly found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables or from berries, oats, and mushrooms.
So next time you feel like you shouldn't chew a stick of gum in between meals, you may be doing yourself a favor as long as you keep chewing gum without sugar.