Our teeth are made for eating and chewing, chewing gum included. It might not be a favorite habit for some people, but most people enjoy chewing gum every now and then. If you are one of those who enjoy it, then you’ve probably heard at least once how chewing gum can adversely affect your teeth, and you might have thought they were exaggerating. However, the truth is that they were probably right … but it’s also complicated. Did you know that there is actually an upside to chewing gum and that chewing gum can be beneficial? In this article, we’ll explore the question of, “how does chewing gum affect your teeth?”
First, let’s look at gum’s composition itself.
What is Chewing Gum Made Of?
The main ingredient of the gum base is a synthetic polymer of some kind, like polyvinyl acetate or some other kind. And while many other ingredients go into the making of chewing gum, such as resins, fillers, and preservatives, it is the sweeteners, sugars, and flavoring agents that make all the difference. They’re what makes you favor a particular band over the other. Unfortunately, it is these that are also harmful to your teeth.
How Does Chewing Gum Affect Your Teeth?
The effect of chewing gum is a double-edged weapon. If used wisely, chewing gum can carry a lot of benefits for the teeth and the oral cavity in general. However, its misuse can also cause a lot of harm.
Cons of Chewing Gum
- The sugars in the gum do the most harm. Most brands of gum have a boatload of sugars in them to make their flavors desirable. That also means a lot of sugars to impact the teeth and advance decay.
- The resins mean the gum is sticky. Most dentists would say that the most harmful types of food are those with too much sugar and those with a sticky consistency. Unfortunately, chewing gum has both.
- This stickiness means the resin can stick to the area between the teeth.
- In addition, the stickiness also means that bacteria can easily get caught in residual resin – and that bacteria can cause decay, gum disease, and infections, among other problems.
- If you have fillings or dental crowns on your teeth, the gum could stick to these and even dislodge them from their position. This would unfortunately mean an unplanned visit to your dentist.
Pros of Chewing Gum
- If you chew sugar-free gum, this helps in the release of saliva, which has a washing and buffering effect and could decrease the chance of tooth decay.
- The chewing action is also a very good exercise for your jaw muscles. In fact, it is often recommended you chew gum after some forms of jaw surgery to get the blood flowing back into the muscles. (However, this is also a con. Be careful when chewing gum, as chewing gum that has gotten too rubbery can do more harm than good to the joint of your jaw.)
Conclusion
So, how does chewing gum affect your teeth? As you can see, it’s complex, so be smart and don’t overdo it. It all depends on the type of gum and how well you moderate the habit.
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