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To Chew or Not To Chew, That is the Question!

By March 1, 2018 No Comments

Well it is time we answer that age old question, “What is the meaning of life?” Ok actually we are not going to dive into that thesis, INSTEAD let’s try to answer another important question (Maybe not AS important, but important nonetheless) SHOULD we be chewing gum, or not?

You most likely have seen a chewing gum commercial boast “4 out of 5 dentists agree” chewing gum after a meal is great for your teeth. In terms of freshening breath we all know a solid piece of mint gum can do wonders after a garlic righ dinner! Thank God for gum in that regard! But how is chewing gum REALLY for our teeth?

Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can help rinse off and neutralize the acids released by the bacteria in plaque, which are harmful to tooth enamel. Both the act of chewing and the flavor of the artificial sweeteners in the gum stimulate ten times the normal rate of saliva flow. Not only does the increased saliva flow neutralize the acids in your mouth, it also washes away food particles, helping to keep your teeth clean.

Although chewing sugar-free gum can be beneficial in most instances, there are some cases in which chewing gum is not recommended. For example, if you are experiencing any type of jaw pain or temporomandibular disorder symptoms (TMD/TMJ), you should refrain from chewing gum and talk to your dentist about what options are available to you.

The long and short is that chewing SUGAR-FREE gum CAN be quite beneficial for the health of our teeth! We recommend staying away from shoving a full pack of sugar filled grabe bubble gum in your mouth though, even if you are trying to break some sort of bubble blowing world record…

Urban Smiles Family Dental 

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