Do you know someone who loves chewing gum as much as they love chocolates? Ever wonder why he or she is interested in this type of candy? Well, it can be considered candy because it contains sugar as its main ingredient. According to a recent study, boys are more likely to use chewing gum than girls. The reason for this is that boys are into smoking and in order to remove the unwanted odor of cigarettes they use chewing gums. Of course, no one would want to smell bad after a break from work.
Moreover, one of the chewing gum benefits includes releasing tension or stress. When a person is feeling stressed about life, the fast remedy a person can use is chewing gum. In this way, he will be able to calm himself and stay alert in any type of situation he’s in. However, with the series of misinformation circulating on the internet, chewing gum benefits are often overlooked because everyone is telling you that it is harmful to teeth.
Is Chewing Gum Bad For Your Teeth?
Chewing gum is not bad for your teeth if you use the kind of gum that is free of sugar. Chewing gum with xylitol as an ingredient can stop bacteria buildup in your mouth so you can chew it every day without the risk of damaging your teeth. However, if you pick chewing gum rich in sugar, more dental cavities will grow in your mouth. So, it is important that as early as now you start to buy chewing gum with no sugar content and learn more about its benefits to your oral health below.
What Are the Benefits of Chewing Gum?
Stimulate Saliva Flow to Fight Bad Breath
The easiest remedy for people who experience foul odor in their mouth is to chew gum. This is actually true and effective only if the chewing gum use is made of xylitol. By chewing the gum, you are helping your mouth to have enough saliva flow because a dry mouth is a desirable place for bad bacteria to grow. Although chewing gum is not an advisable alternative for brushing if you don’t get the chance to brush your teeth after a lunch break, the benefits of chewing gum help you flush or remove the food debris stuck in your mouth.
In this way, you can be confident that there is nothing stuck in your teeth that is not ideal for others to see. Plus, you can maintain a fresher breath because the bacteria can’t survive in your mouth with the presence of xylitol. You don’t have to be confused in identifying chewing gum with sugar and sugar-free because they both taste sweet as xylitol functions as a sweetener. The only thing that you have to remember is to check the ingredient and look for xylitol to fight bad breath.
Prevents the Growth of Cavities
There’s nothing more satisfying than finding out that chewing gum benefits include the prevention of cavities in your mouth. For other people, they think that the only way to remove cavities is by undergoing dental procedures with a dentist. Luckily, if you have identified the cavities you have in your teeth early, the use of chewing gum will reverse tooth decay to make your teeth free of cavities again.
So, is chewing gum bad for your teeth? In this case, you no longer have to ask your dentist this kind of question because if the benefits of chewing gum include reversal of cavities, then there’s no way you’ll get caught with another set of cavities again. If your main concern is to freshen your breath, you can make the use of chewing gum worthwhile because it has been proven to fight the buildup of cavities in your mouth when used regularly and for a long time.
Strengthen your Tooth Enamel
The number one reason for tartar or plaque buildup is the thinning of your enamel. It gets thinner every time you eat acidic foods, brushing teeth harshly, or for other things you do that damage your enamel. So, if your enamel starts to weaken, the bacteria in your mouth will have enough strength to reside in your teeth causing plaque buildup. Good thing the benefits of chewing gum with xylitol include revitalization of your enamel.
When you chew gum, it generates more saliva in your mouth and this saliva contains minerals that will help restore your tooth enamel. Moreover, you can help strengthen your tooth enamel by removing food particles stuck in between your teeth, you can only ensure the health of your enamel if you combine the use of chewing gum and water flossing.
The water flosser will be the one responsible for eradicating debris and preventing your mouth from experiencing gum diseases that may risk your oral health in the future. Prevention should always come first so it’s best to get the best water flosser now! You can check the video below about how it is used for your teeth and gums.
Controls the pH Balance in Your Mouth
You need to have a balanced pH in your body the same as your mouth. If the acidity is way higher than the normal level, you are likely to suffer bad breath and tooth cavities. Once the acid starts to cling to your tooth, the enamel becomes thin and you will start to feel the pain every time you eat something that irritates your teeth. That’s why the chewing gum benefits include controlling the pH balance in your mouth.
So, is chewing gum bad for you? No, none at all, most especially if it generates the saliva production for balanced pH in your mouth. For example, after drinking or eating food rich in acid, it is necessary to chew gum because the xylitol will stop bacteria build-up that may reside in your mouth if the acid is high.
The Don’ts in Using Chewing Gums
- Even if you use chewing gums, it can never be a substitute for brushing and water flossing.
- Some sugar-free chewing gum contains animal glycerine that may not be suitable for vegetarian people.
- After a dental procedure, it is not advisable to chew gums.
- You can chew gum anytime you want but it must be used in moderation because it might cause painful spasms in your jaw.
Conclusion
It is a preventive measure to use the benefits of chewing gum in taking care of your oral health. However, you should only use this as an add-on to your list in taking care of your teeth and gum rather than prioritizing its use over brushing and water flossing. If you are planning to buy chewing gum now, it is better to check the label before purchasing to make sure that it is sugar-free gum.
Remember that you can maintain dental hygiene if you know the type of equipment and ingredients to use. With just one mistake, you might end up with toothache and mouth discomfort that will drag your confidence down. If you are curious about how to cure tooth sensitivity, it is time to eliminate your fears, and check out the effective home remedies for this!
Disclaimer:
The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen. The author and publisher do not take responsibility for any consequences resulting from the information provided in this article.