You know how gum commercials always boast that their product can give you a fresher, cleaner mouth, well, that’s not entirely a lie. But is chewing gum good for your teeth? When we eat, little bits of food get stuck between our teeth or behind those permanent retainers that a lot of people have these days. If that food gets to hang out long enough, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria. That bacteria can lead to cavities and infections, and really, isn’t an infection in the main hole in your face that’s pretty close to your brain about the last thing you want?
Chewing gum, but no sugar!
If chewing gums are good for the teeth, they will be only the sugar-free ones, or those in which the sugar is completely replaced by sweeteners (xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol). However, sugar is not recommended because it is cariogenic and represent the principal food for bacteria in our mouth. After eating the bacteria will produce acids that attack tooth enamel.
In the other hand, sweeteners have a strong sweetening power but don’t contain any sugar or calories, and therefore do not promote tooth decay. So for the health of your teeth, only chewing gums without sugar (and with sweeteners) are possible.
Chewing gum stimulates salivation
The action mode of chewing gum pass through salivation. When we chew a chewing gum, saliva production increases and promotes the removal of food debris in particular sugar, which contribute to the formation of dental plaque and caries. Saliva also