How Chewing Gum Helps Your Oral Health
Did you know that something as simple as chewing sugar-free gum can improve your oral health? It might seem surprising, but chewing gum can keep your teeth white, your breath fresh, and even protect against tooth decay. Let’s explore the benefits of sugar-free gum and how it can play a role in keeping your mouth healthy.
1. Freshens Your Breath
Bad breath happens to everyone from time to time. It could be caused by eating foods like garlic or onions. It could also be because of an oral health issue like dry mouth or gum disease. If your bad breath sticks around, it might be time to see your dentist to find the root cause.
For occasional bad breath, sugar-free gum can help. Chewing gum with a minty flavor can mask odors and boost the flow of saliva in your mouth. This extra saliva helps wash away the bacteria and food particles that are often responsible for bad breath.
2. Helps Whiten Teeth
Many people notice their teeth getting discolored as they get older. Habits like drinking coffee, smoking, or eating foods can stain teeth. While professional whitening treatments are very effective, there are other ways to keep your smile bright.
Whitening gum can whiten your teeth. When chewed after a meal, it can help remove bits of food that cause stains and slowly make teeth whiter. Plus, it boosts your saliva flow, which naturally helps rinse your teeth. Whitening gum can also create a thin coating on your teeth to briefly block new stains from forming.
3. Boosts Saliva Flow
Chewing gum is a great way to increase saliva in your mouth. This is important because saliva helps neutralize acids and flush out bacteria that could lead to tooth decay. Saliva also washes away leftover food particles, which keeps your teeth clean and reduces the risk of plaque buildup.
Saliva plays a key role in protecting your teeth by keeping your mouth at a healthy pH level. It also helps strengthen tooth enamel by delivering important minerals like calcium and fluoride. For people with dry mouth, chewing gum can provide relief by stimulating the production of more saliva.
How does this work? When you chew, the muscles in your mouth press on the salivary glands, encouraging them to release more saliva. By chewing gum after a meal, you can increase the saliva in your mouth and give your teeth a little extra protection. The extra saliva helps prevent acids from breaking down your tooth enamel and causing erosion.
4. Helps Prevent Tooth Decay
Saliva doesn’t just keep your mouth feeling fresh, it also helps fight tooth decay. It washes away harmful bacteria that can damage your teeth and carries nutrients that strengthen tooth enamel. Since chewing gum helps produce more saliva, it can be an easy way to protect your teeth from decay, especially after meals.
Research shows that chewing sugar-free gum for about 20 minutes after eating can reduce the risk of tooth decay. While chewing gum isn’t a substitute for brushing and flossing, it can be a helpful addition to your daily routine. Just make sure to choose sugar-free gum to avoid adding sugar to your mouth.
Comprehensive Dental Care in Hunt Valley, MD
Sugar-free gum offers many benefits for your oral health. However, it can’t replace your regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups. Make sure you’re chewing sugar-free gum because other flavored varieties with sugar can actually make your teeth yellow.
If it’s been a while since your last visit, make sure to schedule an appointment with us. We can help you get a healthy and bright smile. You can book an appointment online or call Valley Dental Health at 443-733-6613.