Extra dental health benefits of chewing gum
A new study has suggested that sugar-free chewing gum could be as beneficial for our teeth as flossing is.
The researchers found that chewing a piece of gum for 10 minutes meant 100 million bacteria were removed from the mouth, roughly 10% of the bacteria living in the mouth at any given time. From this, they concluded that chewing gum was a very effective way of cleaning the mouth, particularly after a mealtime, and promoting all round good oral hygiene.
In the past, research has shown that using a new, clean toothbrush with no toothpaste can remove around 100 million bacteria per brush, putting chewing gum on the same level of effectiveness as the mechanical action of brushing. However, it is important to note that gum cannot be used as a substitute for brushing and flossing, given that it removes bacteria from different sites in the mouth.
Set periods of time for chewing were analysed during the study, with the team chewing gum for varying lengths of time, ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, and then analysed closely for the effects on the gums using an electron microscope.
It was found that when chewed for up to ten minutes, sugar-free gum was beneficial, though after this amount of time, the effects were reduced as bacteria gathered around the gums was then re-deposited into the mouth. The research team also emphasised the importance of chewing sugar-free gum, as opposed to regular.
The use of chewing gum in promoting good oral health is well-documented, thought to also be useful in removing some acids from the mouth after eating. However, chewing gum has also been associated with headaches, gastro-intestinal problems, and tooth decay, suggesting that research on all of its effects is not yet extensive enough.
The study was conducted by a team of five biomedical engineering students at the University of Groningen in Holland, and the findings of the study have been published in the journal PLOS One.
