Chewing sugar-free gum after eating protects teeth from decay in 4 important ways
Chewing gum isn’t just useful for freshening breath. It can also help keep teeth clean and healthy, provided of course you’re chewing the right kind of gum. After significant study, it is now commonly accepted in the dental community that chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol can actually prevent cavities. Here’s how.
Sugar-Free Gum Helps Remove Food Debris
Chewing gum helps remove the little bits of food that can get stuck in teeth after eating. It’s especially helpful in getting sticky foods out of the nooks and crannies in molars, which are particularly prone to developing cavities. Without food debris to feed on, bacteria can’t produce the acid that causes tooth decay.
Sugar-Free Gum Neutralizes Plaque Acids
The act of chewing, along with the flavor of the gum, stimulates the production of saliva to up to 10 times its normal rate. This not only further aids in the removal of food debris, it also helps neutralize the acid produced by plaque bacteria to keep the pH in your mouth at a healthy level. Chewing gum for 20 minutes after eating can raise pH levels from a worrisome 4 to a healthy 7 for up to 40 minutes afterwards.
Sugar-Free Gum Helps Remineralize Tooth Enamel
According to the American Dental Association, chewing gum for 20 minutes can also help remineralize tooth enamel. Due to increased saliva production, the calcium and phosphates naturally present in saliva build to high levels while gum is being chewed and are increasingly able to adhere to teeth. This helps strengthen teeth and prevent decay from taking hold and creating a full-blown cavity.
Sugar-Free Gum with Xylitol Kills Tooth Decay Bacteria
The best type of sugar-free gum to chew from an oral health perspective is gum sweetened with xylitol. This artificial sweetener has been proven to interfere with the ability of notable tooth decay bacterium Streptococcus mutans to adhere to tooth surfaces. The bacteria then get swept away with the chewing action and are unable to produce the acid that causes tooth decay.
Gum Isn’t a Substitute for Good Oral Hygiene!
Chewing sugar-free gum is an excellent option for those times when you can’t brush after eating. However, it is by no means a substitute for brushing and flossing. Proper oral care is vital for keeping teeth healthy enough to chew the gum in the first place! If you allow your teeth to become riddled with cavities, chewing gum can become too painful to enjoy. For best results, visit your dentist for professional cleanings and exams, brush and floss daily, and chew sugar-free gum only as a supplemental measure to help prevent the development of cavities and the need for fillings.
