Chewing Gum: Good or Bad for Your Teeth?

Many people may not know, but the average American consumes about 2 pounds of gum each year. There are many reasons someone might chew a piece of gum, whether habitual, to stay awake during a boring college lecture, or to freshen their breath throughout the day. Whatever the case may be, it is very important to understand how and why chewing gum can affect our dental health. Let’s take a look and see whether or not chewing gum is good or bad for our teeth.

For the most part, chewing gum is good for teeth. It all depends, however, on a series of factors that contribute to whether or not the particular gum you choose to chew is right for your teeth. Chewing gum can even help prevent tooth decay and produce more saliva. One of the most important tips in chewing gum is to choose a sugarless kind. At the same time though, chewing gum can damage your mouth if you decide to chew a stick that contains sugar. Chewing too much gum can also lead to wear and tear of your teeth and adversely affect your jaw.

Pros

Increases saliva flow:Increase saliva flow can help in rinsing out bacteria and food particles after eating. This can cut down on the possibility of tooth decay, and saliva also provides your teeth with nutrients they need to stay strong.

Beneficial to your health:Chewing gum can be honestly beneficial to your health only if chewing gum without any sugar in it.

Hardens enamel:Chewing gum can also work to harden your enamel as gun manufacturers are beginning to add a substance called casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP). This works to remineralize and harden tooth enamel.

Cons

Tooth decay: Sugary gums, as stated in the previous aspects of this article, can be a huge factor in causing tooth decay. Sugar coating between and on the teeth can slowly cause damage to the tooth enamel.

Jaw stress: By making gum chewing habit, you can cause great stress on your jaw by constantly making it overwork. This can lead to TMJ, a chronic and painful jaw disorder.

Stomach issues: The continuous showing of gum can also lead to increased levels of stress to your stomach and intestines. It’s important to allow a resting time for your food to digest after meals.

For more answers to what is good and bad for your dental health, give us at Town Square Dental in Pasadena, TX, a call. We would be more than happy to answer any dental related questions you may have.