Will Bubble Gum Affect Your Overall Teeth Health?

Will Bubble Gum Affect Your Overall Teeth Health?

Jul 01, 2023

When you ask various people whether bubblegum is good for their teeth or harmful, you will likely receive varying answers from everyone. The different answers are because bubblegum chewing is a mixed bag for your dental and overall health. To arrive at a precise answer, you must explore other aspects and discuss the subject with Bradford dental clinic to understand how chewing gum affects your mouth and body.

A Brief Outlook of the Effects of Chewing Bubblegum

  • Most chewing gum brands use artificial sweeteners, which adversely affect your health regardless of whether the gum is sugar-free.
  • People chewing gum frequently are less likely to eat healthy foods preferring junk foods like potato chips and candy instead. According to studies from 2013, eating unhealthy foods can result in tooth decay.
  • Chewing bubblegum can potentially release mercury from silver amalgam fillings.
  • Chewing gum can also result in tooth decay and enamel erosion, especially if you prefer the sweetened variety.

In America, 59 percent of people frequently use chewing gum. Saudi Arabia and Iran consume 79 and 82 percent. The higher rates in Arabia and North Africa are because merchants often hand out chewing gum in exchange for small change.

Now that you know the essential facts and statistics of chewing gum, let us examine the specific potential health effects of chewing gum comprehensively.

Will Chewing Gum Help Your Teeth?

Many people never think about the ingredients in chewing gum because they merely chew the gum base without swallowing it. Unfortunately, your teeth and gums are exposed to the elements, and you will consume some of the flavors when chewing the gum after the flavorful ingredients are extracted during the chewing process.

As your mouth lining is absorbent, most chewing gum ingredients are absorbed directly through them. Unfortunately, the so-called sugar-free chewing gum is also sweetened with a sugar substitute, aspartame. Studies reported that aspartame helps create formaldehyde in the body, a known carcinogen. Many people claim they experience the adverse effects of aspartame, like headaches, dizziness, and mood swings. However, the FDA and the American cancer society have not issued official warnings about it except for people lacking the necessary enzymes to break it down.

Tooth Deformities

Chewing bubblegum frequently and habitually leads to excessive tooth wear and enamel erosion, resulting in orthodontic misalignment. In particular, your upper molars may spread apart while the lower back teeth drift backward gradually. If you continue the behavior, you will likely need orthodontic treatments eventually to correct the problem. You may also require help from the emergency dentist in Newmarket to fix issues with enamel erosion that will cause tooth sensitivity and result in cavities. Therefore chewing gum will not likely help your teeth but will undoubtedly harm them, making it beneficial to have it in moderation.

Is Sugar-Free Bubblegum Good?

Professionals in cosmetic dentistry suggest chewing sugar-free gum because it might positively affect your teeth by helping to prevent cavities by removing plaque and harmful bacteria on your tooth surfaces and gums. However, you must remember that the habit of chewing gum is not healthy and is better not developed. It is one of the several risks with some downsides of chewing bubblegum and must be considered.

If you intend to freshen your mouth, you can achieve your goal by brushing your teeth and using mouthwash instead of chewing gum to clean your mouth. A drink of cold water with mint leaves is also excellent to freshen your breath after meals, coupled with brushing and using mouthwash instead of chewing gum.

Your teeth are essential, and your mouth is the gateway to your body. Therefore, you must care for them appropriately and pay attention to what you put in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. Therefore, when succumbing to the habit of chewing gum, you must consider how it can impact your overall teeth health and use the product as sparingly as possible to prevent damage to your teeth and overall health. While the habit is not life-threatening, it can undoubtedly expand your budget on issues you can easily control by avoiding the practice of chewing bubblegum frequently.

If you don’t know the harmful effects of chewing bubblegum, you can receive help from Holland River Dental if you schedule an appointment with them. They can help you by mentioning the adverse impact of chewing bubblegum frequently and how it makes you liable for treatments for your teeth and jaw from dentists.

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