Is chewing gum good for your teeth? 

To chew or not to chew – gum. This is one of the common questions that people asked when they visit our office

To answer this more fully, we need to dive into the basics of dental health and oral hygiene. 

The cause of dental decay (cavities) is acid, acid from food or acid from bacteria in your mouth (most commonly Streptococcus mutans) eating the food you ate left over in the nooks and crannies of your mouth.  These bacteria love simple sugar and they produce a lot of acid when they are in such an environment and where they exist is higher numbers than the other 500 or so species of bacteria living in the human mouth.

When you chew “sugar free” chewing gum,  three things happen,

1. The action of chewing causes the mouth to salivate.  The saliva produced will help wash away the residual food debris.
2. The saliva can also buffer and neutralise the acid that’s been produced by bacteria.
3. The chewing of gum will also bring out the food from around your teeth.

So after meals.  If you don’t have a chance to brush your teeth, simply drink some water, and chew a piece of “sugar free” chewing gum, which can bring freshness to your breath as well as cleanse your teeth and mouth.  

As with all things, we suggest moderation and offer this as a helpful hint for those occasions when one may have to delay flossing and brushing and may be wanting to freshen up.