Chewing gums is a habit enjoyed by many people because of its satisfying texture, flavor, and fragrance. This habit provides a stress-relieving benefit too. However, there is also a myth about this habit helping in oral health which has been a topic of debate for many years.
It has sugar and it makes your jaw work a bit. Will it be helpful to improve your oral health or will harm your teeth and alignment more? To know the answers, understanding the impact on dental health is required which you can achieve by careful examination of its benefits and risks.
If you are also thinking about getting a bit of advice for maintaining good oral health and if chewing gums can help you or not, get a consultation from a cosmetic dentist in Kings Mountain. They will advise you after evaluating your dental health and guide you further.
Benefits Of Chewing Gums In Oral Health
If chewing gums you consume are sugar-free, there are some helpful benefits, like stimulating saliva production which is essential to neutralize the acid content in the mouth and wash away food particles to make sure there is nothing for the bacteria to feed on and increase the risk of cavities and plaque buildup.
Xylitol-containing gums have been found to reduce the risk of bacteria causing cavities by interfering with their metabolism and thus help in reducing plaque formation. Because of stimulation in saliva production due to gums the foul odor spreading particles will also be removed which will help in preventing bad breath.
Risks Of Chewing Gums In Oral Health
With their benefits, there is some risk that potentially harms the teeth and gums resulting in more damage than help. If you choose the gums with sugar it will increase the risk of cavities because of the prolonged exposure to the sugar content in your mouth, which helps in feeding the bacteria that will increase the acid content and wear down enamel.
Also, gums will require excessive chewing, and if you have a habit of chewing it when you are stressed, there will be harder chewing, and that can strain the temporomandibular joint which connects with the skull. Prolonging strain can cause significant damage and discomfort to your jaw.
Apart from its benefits to oral health, artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and aspartame are not good for your overall health and will cause digestion problems after a time.
Tips For Responsible Gum Chewing
If you love to chew gum and enjoy the satisfactory benefit of it while not harming your oral health, you can choose sugar-free gums, especially one containing xylitol because it is not only safe for your teeth but also helps in eliminating decaying bacteria.
Even if the content of the gum is better and safe, if you chew it excessively you will harm the structure and muscles, that is why you limit the time you chew the gums to not strain your jaw and cause other problems. To sufficiently stimulate saliva production if you chew it for 15-20 minutes it will be helpful and not strain your temporomandibular joint too.
Chewing gums though have benefits and are helpful, but they will not replace proper hygiene maintenance. Make sure you brush and floss regularly to remove plaque buildup if there is any because gum chewing can remove bacteria but the already built-up plaque can be removed by proper brushing routine only.
Do Not Miss Your Dental Appointment!
Even knowing there are benefits of chewing gums, getting dental checkups and advice in continuing this habit is very essential. The reason is your teeth and jaw strength might not be strong enough to take such strain and in fact, harm your jaw.
Thus, before making it a routine get a professional checkup and advice as the dentist will give you a go sign after assessing your health and looking at your past health reports.
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