Well, there are caveats to this affirmation.

Yes, chewing gum and oral health outcomes do have positive correlations in a few key regards. The chewing process can be saliva producing and this can generally help prevent gum disease. Plus, chewing sugarless gum can reduce the amount of eating individuals do, especially in regard to unhealthy snacking on junk foods. I would add that it is healthier to chew gum than smoke or vape. If you are orally obsessed it can be by far the lesser of three evils.

Is Chewing Gum Orally Healthy For You?

Most dentists would agree that chewing a reputable sugarless gum is helpful for your oral hygiene. The Oral Health Foundation tells us that chewing sugarless gum helps stimulate saliva production, which contributes to lowering the bacteria levels around your teeth and gums. In addition, this can reduce the acid in your mouth which eats away at the enamel on your teeth. It can prevent tooth decay and caries.

“Chewing sugar-free gum helps protect your teeth and gums in between meals when it may not be possible to brush with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Your teeth are more at risk of acid attack after you have eaten. The acid is produced by plaque bacteria, and the sugars in our food and drink, and it slowly dissolves away the enamel and dentine of the tooth, to produce a hole or ‘cavity’. (Plaque is the thin, sticky film that keeps forming on your teeth. It contains many types of bacteria which can cause tooth decay and gum disease.) You can reduce this acid attack by chewing sugar-free gum, as it helps the mouth to produce more saliva – the mouth’s natural defence against acid.”
– Dental Health

Kids & Chewing Sugarless Gum

I remember being a kid and how much chewing gum meant to me, along with plenty of other kinds of lollies – unfortunately for my oral health. Sweets were a big part of my childhood life. I got to witness this in my own children, as they went through this phase as well. I don’t recall there being much sugarless gum around back in my youth. I do think that getting kids to enjoy a sugarless alternative during their lolly and sweets period in their lives. Chewing is good for mouth health and much better than having a dry mouth in terms of bad bacteria in our oral cavity. Gum chewing used to be cool too, I think, as some of my teenage heroes might have been partial to a stick of gum and some aggressive jaw action along with strutting their stuff.

Chewing Is In & Of Itself A Healthy Activity

How many times should you chew your food? This kind of thing is way too pedantic to be my cup of tea. Please excuse the mixed metaphors. However, some of us appreciate detailed instructions regarding healthy activities. According to the experts the magic number is 32. Why is it so? Sometimes I suspect that these people just make this stuff up. The lowdown is that 32 is a good number of chews for most foodstuffs and 40 for more fibrous and chewy foods. Chewing is good for our digestion, as wolfing your food down with too few chews puts pressure on your digestive system to cope.

– “Chewing and saliva break down and mix food together in your mouth. From there, food goes into your oesophagus when you swallow.
– Your oesophagus pushes food into your stomach.
– Your stomach holds food while it mixes with enzymes that continue breaking down the food so you can use it for energy.
– When food is digested enough in your stomach, it moves into your small intestine where it mixes with more enzymes that continue to break it down. Nutrients from the food are absorbed in the small intestine.
– Wastes are sent to the large intestine, known as your colon. The leftover waste is excreted through the rectum and anus.”
– Healthline.com

So to chewing gum and oral health outcomes. Chewing is an important activity for our health. The more you chew the better your oral and overall health. Sugarless gum is something you should put in your kit bag, according to dental health experts. The more you chew this stuff the less you will want to snack on sugary junk. Sugar is basically poison for your teeth and gums – that is refined sugars. Do yourself a favour and reduce your refined sugar intake. Your teeth and gums will thank you.

Get Off Refined Sugars

Personally, this writer gave up all refined sugar from my diet about 3 years ago. I did it for the sake of my remaining natural teeth. Interestingly, I have felt a whole lot better health wise more generally. Plus, I am slimmer for it, according to my nearest and dearest. You do need to check the ingredients on most processed foods, as you will be surprised how many add refined sugar to their products. I get a sweet fix from fruit. Eating more wholefoods will improve your health across the board. Drink plenty of pure water to stay hydrated.

Chew Baby Chew

Do the chew with sugarless gum and get your saliva production stimulated for better oral health. If you can keep your mouth moist and avoid dry mouth you will reduce the amount of bad bacteria around your teeth and gums. Reduce sticky plaque build-ups and suffer from less caries and gingivitis. Chew baby chew for better oral hygiene with sugarless gum. Plus, drink plenty of pure water to stay well hydrated. Make what you put in your mouth good for your health. More chewing will mean less snacking.

Chewing gum and oral health outcomes can be conducive to shared victories in the hygiene stakes. Imagine a world of dentally perfect people languidly chewing their sugarless gum. Are we sweet enough or cool enough to make chewing gum a phenomenon which replaces all smoking and vaping. It need not be perfect white teeth it could be something a little more real.

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