Is Chewing Gum Harmful To Your Oral Health?

03 Oct Is Chewing Gum Harmful To Your Oral Health?

Average Americans chew about 300 sticks of gum a year. And, in the past… chewing gum has been criticized by dentists as harmful to ones oral health. Today, dentists recognize that chewing gum actually has positive benefits.

In 1869, a physician wrote that chewing gum would “exhaust the salivary glands and cause the intestines to stick together.” Today, dentists know better. Chewing gum does not cause those ailments. In fact, current research has indicated a number of positive oral benefits from chewing gum, such as the stimulation of saliva, control of oral pH, and remineralization of enamel. Chewing sugarless gum can provide all three of these oral health benefits. According to the American Dental Association, saliva must be present in the oral cavity in order to preserve the integrity of both oral hard and soft tissues.

Each year, more than $2 billion worth of gum is sold in the United States, with worldwide sales at nearly $5 billion. Remember, chewing gum is not a substitute for brushing your teeth, rinsing and/ or flossing. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Because… when you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque, which is a sticky film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria.