The Effects of Sugar-Free Chewing Gum on Dental Health

The type of gum you chew makes a significant difference to your dental health. Chewing sweetened gum can increase your risk of developing dental problems like tooth decay and cavities, while sugar-free chewing gum may offer a better alternative for your oral health.

According to research, sugar-free chewing gum may provide certain benefits and here’s why.

Chewing gum increases saliva flow and cleanses your mouth from food residues which helps prevent tooth decay. Stimulating saliva production can also neutralize plaque pH after eating a meal and studies have demonstrated that sugar-free chewing gum may improve remineralization of teeth which further decreases the risk of dental caries.

In some aspects of our orthodontic treatments, we may actually encourage gum chewing to exercise facial muscles and assist with the changes we are undertaking.  In such cases, we have recommended gum sweetened with Xylitol. Substances transfer very rapidly from the mouth into your bloodstream so in all cases, moderation is the best approach.

There is one contraindication to gum chewing that we need to mention. For patients with TMJ issues, sorry, no gum for you!

Chewing gum may be fun and satisfying but make sure to choose sugar-free if you want to maintain optimum oral health.

To learn more about the effects of chewing gum on your teeth and gums, talk to our dental team at Exploits Valley Dental Office. We are located in Grand Falls-Windsor, you can visit us, weekdays from Monday to Friday.

-The Exploits Valley Dental Team