Is Gum Good For My Oral Health?

By Dr. Maryam Brazdo

Oct 24 2019

Have you ever wondered if chewing gum is good for the health of your teeth and gums? The truth is that chewing gum can help your oral health in a variety of ways, but only if you’re chewing the right kind of gum. Our dentist in Melbourne, FL wants to help you make good decisions about the type of gum you choose so that you can avoid cavities and gum disease.

Choosing the Right Type of Gum for Your Oral Health

When you look at the gum shelves in any retail store or pharmacy, you will see many different brands and types of gum. Some of this gum has sugar in it, and some of the gum is sugar-free. When choosing the correct gum, always choose a sugar-free option. Gum filled with sugar will coat your teeth in sugar, and this could lead to a bacteria explosion and cavities. Sugar-free gum, by contrast, won’t coat your teeth in sugar, and it won’t increase your risk for cavities and gum disease. If you want to ensure that your chewing gum doesn’t harm your oral health, look for a sugar-free gum that contains the ADA seal of approval. The ADA only puts its seal of approval on sugar-free gums that are completely safe to chew.

Benefits of Chewing Sugar-Free Gum

Chewing sugar-free gum offers many benefits when it comes to the health of your teeth, gums, and mouth, including reducing the numbers of bad bacteria and increasing saliva production.

1. It Will Help Clean Your Teeth

The sticky nature of chewing gum helps remove plaque from your teeth. Of course, this may sound contradictory when you consider the advice given for most chewy, sticky foods, because they can stick to your teeth, increasing your risk for cavities and gum disease. Gum, however, doesn’t stick to your teeth. Instead, as you chew it, it stays in one chewy, stretchy piece. This means that food particles, plaque, and bacteria stick to the gum, but the gum doesn’t stick and remain on your teeth.

2. It May Reduce The Bacteria That Causes Cavities

Streptococcus mutans is the bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities. When this bacteria multiplies after each meal or sugary drink you consume, they create acid, which slowly wears down your enamel. Chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol can help reduce the number of streptococcus mutans that are making a home in your mouth.

3. It Increases The Amount Of Saliva In Your Mouth

Chewing gum helps increase saliva production. Saliva is essential for bathing your mouth in minerals and nutrients that your teeth need in order to maintain the enamel and keep your teeth hard and protected against damage.

Maintaining Your Oral Health with Dental Teeth Cleaning

In addition to chewing sugar-free gum that contains xylitol, you’ll also need to maintain your at-home oral care routine, which involves brushing your teeth a minimum of twice a day, flossing once a day and rinsing with fluoride or antiseptic mouthwash. All of your oral hygiene products should have the ADA seal approval, just like your chewing gum.

The last step in the process is to make sure you are getting regular dental teeth cleanings every six months from our dentist in Melbourne, FL. Professional teeth cleanings help remove plaque and tartar from the surfaces of the teeth as well as below the gum line where your toothbrush and floss may not reach. If our dentist at Artistic Touch dentistry does notice any cavities, they will be filled during your appointment. If you have any signs of gum disease, our dentist will explain the finding and recommend a treatment plan to help restore the health of your gums.

To schedule your next dental checkup and teeth cleaning in Melbourne, Florida, contact us online or give us a call at 321-724-1400.