Okay so almost everyone has tried this Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape at least once in their lives. And if you have any idea what so ever of what fun is, then you loved it. Just the freedom of being able to have completely unnecessary amounts of gum at your disposal in fun flavors and colors is every kid’s dream. But it gets better. You then get to chomp on it and compete with your friends to see who can blow the biggest bubble, and who gets laughed at the most for having it stuck all over their faces when it pops. And then you get yelled at by your mom because it got all in your hair and chewing gum is considered to be “impolite”. Well along with those downers, sugary gum also causes acids in the mouth that cause decay. The plus side is many researchers have found that sugarless gum can actually be beneficial to you!
Some benefits of chewing gum that have been found recently are that it keeps teeth clean, it causes the intake of calories to decrease, it helps with heartburn, and finally it helps with education.
The first study found that chewing gum can help protect teeth. Regardless of what sort of gum it is, chewing gum can help produce more saliva. Saliva is important after meals because it helps wash away food (not to mention makes your breath smell good). The increase of saliva also neutralizes plaque acid. Sugars usually cause the pH to fall, according to Wrigley. But the saliva increase helps to bring it back into balance and prevent tooth enamel damage. Although chewing gum helps with the process of cleaning the mouth, brushing twice a day and flossing is still recommended.
Another benefit mentioned was the decrease of calories. A study done at Louisiana State University fed 115 people, who chew gum regularly, lunch. The results found that the people “ate fewer high-calorie snacks” and “reported decreased feelings of hunger and cravings for sweet foods” Another experiment done by Elsevier similarly took 60 participants and brought them in for lunch and tested their desire for salty/sugary snacks. They found that “chewing gum suppressed appetite, specifically desire for sweets and reduced snack intake” “One theory is that chewing stimulates nerves in the jaw that are connected to the brain region responsible for satiety,” according to Kathleen Melanson, Ph.D., R.D., an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island.
An additional benefit found for chewing gum is the ability to help reduce heartburn, or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). “Chewing on a piece or two of gum, it seems, helps force fluids back into the stomach and flood the esophagus with alkaline saliva, neutralizing acids that cause the characteristic burning sensations.” A study at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London asked patients with symptoms of heartburn fast for a few hours, and then fed them a heart attack. After some subjects were asked to chew gum, it was found acid levels were lower in those who had chewed the gum.
One of the final found results of chewing gum was the increase of the ability students had to focus in class. At Bayor College of Medicine eight grade math students were split into chewing and non-chewing groups. After a couple weeks it was found that those who had chewed gum while doing homework and taking tests had a 3% increase on scores. A similar experiment reported by Scientific American suggests “that gum increases the flow of oxygen to regions of the brain responsible for attention. More oxygen can keep people alert and improve their reflexes”.
At the end of the day, even though chewing gum is considered to be ill-mannered and disrespectful, don’t forget these benefits. Next time you’re trying to focus on some homework, or trying to lose those extra pounds chomp on a nice piece of sugarless gum! Just make sure it’s American Dental Association approved.