Don’t Be a Bum: Why You Should Grab Some Gum

Let’s face it. Life is hard. There always seems to be an abundance of difficulties and challenges to overcome. But where are all the easy fixes and simple solutions? Well, when it comes to your oral health, I’ve got one for you right here. It’s cheap, easy to do and you can even blow bubbles with it. What is it? It’s chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks.

One of the many reasons why chewing sugar-free gum is so beneficial is that it increases your bodies secretion of saliva. Saliva is an extremely important agent in the fight against cavities. It helps neutralize and wash away acids that are a byproduct of sugar consumption and it also contains calcium and phosphate which help strengthen tooth enamel!

But if you want to really turn up the dial, get yourself chewing gum that has “Xylitol” as one of it’s main sweetening ingredient. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is found in many fruits and vegetables. Xylitol tastes just like sugar and has 40% fewer calories but hold on, it only gets sweeter. Cavity causing bacteria in your mouth love sweet stuff too, the only problem for them is that they can’t digest Xylitol. This means that the harmful bacteria in your mouth will ingest xylitol, be unable to metabolize it, and then slowly starve and die! Good riddance!

When looking for a pack of gum to purchase, be sure to see an “ADA Seal.” This demonstrates that the product has been evaluated for safety and efficacy and was approved by the American Dental Association. As for Xylitol, check the ingredients! Trident is a popular brand that usually contains Xylitol (not every flavor contains it so check the ingredient list!). And please, do everyone a favor and chew with your mouth closed!

Happy bubble blowing!
Dr. Polack