The truth is that there could be multiple answers to this question. It really depends because there are all sorts of things that could be inside gum that could actually hurt your teeth. At the same time chewing gum also has some major benefits in maintaining your teeth and all around health in your mouth and keep you from going back to the dentist. Here are some of the things that could actually cause problems for your teeth.
Source: Hans Braxmeier from PixabaySugar
Gum can’t be tasteless otherwise people won’t choose to buy it. There has to be a type of sugar or sugar substitute in order to make the gum tasty for consumers. This causes issues because you are lodging those sugars all over your teeth as you chew. As these sugars remain on the teeth they become food for the bacteria that lives in your mouth. This can cause cavities and other plaque and residue forming in the teeth.
One thing that chewing gum can cause is jaw disorders over time. People who chew a lot may find that their jaws pop or their jaw muscles tire out. There is a lot of extra wear and tear when someone starts to chew gum. This can cause extra damage for the cartilage in your jaw.
Gums without sugar can be just as hard on you as anything else. In fact, some of the sweeteners found in gum can actually cause neurological disorders and birth defects.
So now that we have talked about the bad things about chewing gum maybe it is time to talk about the good for a little bit.
Saliva
Saliva is the natural way that our mouths manage acid and too much bacteria build up. Chewing gum can actually stimulate more saliva and keep your mouth healthier by neutralizing acid and cleaning teeth. There is also the benefit of keeping your mouth fresh smelling because of the minimized amount of bacteria swimming in there afterwards.
Some gum actually has sweeteners that are good for your teeth. There are also different types of gums that are whiteners and that get rid of plaque. It really depends on the type that you get but overall sugar free gum can be a good option if you are in a hurry and you aren’t able to brush your teeth at that moment.
This is definitely not to say that gum can replace the toothbrush because it can’t. A toothbrush can get much more in depth cleaning and reach areas that the gum just rubs. Gum is more meant to augment the brushing experience in the end, much like the role of Listerine and other mouth washes.
Overall we can see that the dental healthiness of chewing gum is completely dependent on the type of gum and their individual contents. Gum can be a great addition to your dental hygiene kit and can keep you from having extra of those pesky visits to the dentist.