Role of chewing gum in teeth protection

You might think that, like most candy, chewing gum can only do damage to your teeth, but the surprising truth is that there is such a thing as gum that is good for your teeth. According to the Oral Health Foundation, you don’t need to chew gum advertised as cavity-fighting in order to improve your oral health. Chewing any regular sugar free gum can help prevent cavities by removing food particles from the surfaces of your teeth.

When it comes to chewing gum, it’s the type of gum you chew that makes a difference in whether it’s helpful or harmful to your teeth. While chewing gum containing sugar may actually increase your chances of developing a cavity, there is clinical evidence that demonstrates just the opposite for sugar-free gum. And there’s even better news when it comes to chewing sugar-free gum that is sweetened with xylitol.

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. The physical act of chewing increases salivary flow in the mouth; if chewed after eating, the increased salivary flow can help neutralize and wash away the acids that are produced when food is broken down by the bacteria in plaque on teeth. So, if you chew gum after a meal, you may be helping to protect your teeth and promote oral health. Also, the minerals generated by the extra saliva can even help strengthen your tooth enamel, which also reduces your risk of a dental cavity.

Chewing gum is even more effective at preventing cavities if it contains a sugar replacement called Xylitol.

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that some studies have shown can reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth. Since Xylitol, unlike sugar, is unsuitable as fuel for these organisms, the number of bacteria decreases, leaving your mouth a safer place for your teeth. Sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol has the added benefit of inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans, one of the oral bacteria that cause cavities. In the presence of xylitol, the bacteria lose the ability to adhere to the tooth, stunting the cavity-causing process. With the use of xylitol over a period of time, the types of bacteria in the mouth change and fewer decay-causing bacteria survive on tooth surfaces.

For most people, chewing sugar-free gum (especially gum sweetened with xylitol) can be a good preventive measure in situations when toothbrushing and flossing aren’t practical.  Sugar-free or not, chewing gum should never replace good dental hygiene practices. 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.