Looking around, you may notice at least one person chewing gum. Maybe, that person is you or someone sitting next to you. Chewing gum is a common act, and because of that, most people don’t think about what they could be putting in their mouths or if it has any benefit.
In the United States alone, around 170 million people chew gum every year, according to Statista, which is roughly $3 billion worth of gum a year. Chewing gum is a massive industry that was first patented in the year 1848 by a man named James Curtis, but the act of chewing gum itself was used by various cultures around the world for centuries. For example, the Mayans and Aztecs, in Latin America, chewed gum from a Sapodilla tree for its health benefits, such as oral hygiene or fresher breath. Their gum may have been different from ours today, but the reasons remain the same.
Today, chewing gum markets advertise gum with most of the same benefits, namely fresher breath, oral hygiene or mental focus. For the most part it does check all those boxes, but because of other additives, it can actually harm your health. Modern day gum is so processed that constantly chewing it can lead to potential tooth decay because of all the sugar. According to the American Dental Association, “Monosaccharides and disaccharides may be used in sugar-containing chewing gum. These fermentable carbohydrates can be metabolized by oral bacteria,” meaning that gum containing sugar can increase the production of bad acid and bacteria in the mouth, which leads to cavities. There are healthier alternatives that come with the same benefits minus the sugar.
Sugar-free gum, the healthy substitute, provides all the same benefits like saliva production that helps with digestion. Unlike other synthetic gum that is made from food-grade polymers that contain microplastics, gum made from natural sources like tree sap which are biodegradable and keep plastics out of your body and the environment. The American Dental Association also published that the act of chewing gum actually helps with “postoperative ileus”, which is a paralyzation of the intestines after surgery. What natural gum lacks in flavor it makes up for in its significant health benefits.
Intaking a piece of gum after a meal helps to produce saliva which counteracts the build-up of plaque and bacteria on the teeth, successfully preventing cavities. If destructive bacteria are allowed to persist, they can lead to tooth decay. Because saliva has the ability to counteract acids in our foods, it acts as a buffer and chewing gum heightens this effect. This effect doesn’t exist as strongly in sugar-possessed gums that contain high amounts of sugar and can actually have the reverse effect, causing tooth decay. Both synthetic gum and natural gum have their benefits but synthetic gum generally does more harm than good.
Synthetic chewing gum contains various additives that are harmful to your body and the environment. Although it has the potential to produce more saliva than natural gum, because of its powerful flavors, it still adds microplastics to the body. The best alternative is sugar-free all natural gum, they do come in flavors so they can match the production of saliva in synthetic gum. Proving successful in strengthening enamel, fighting against bacteria and fighting cavities.
