DR. DIKSHA TAHILRAMANI BATRA
CHEW ON THIS!!
The habit of eating chewing gum has been under debate, while some people assume it’s a useless habit and reflects poorly on social etiquette many others believe chewing gum could increase brain function, overall cognitive thinking as well as suppress appetite. Now, there is an even better reason why we should all be chewing it.
Researchers in Netherland have proven and published that sugarfree chewing gum can remove almost as much intra-oral bacteria as brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly.The researchers stated that the gum is most effective in the first 30 seconds of chewing
Flossing does remove these bacteria in different areas of the mouth than chewing gum, but one stick of gum can remove up to 100 million bacteria in 10 minutes! That is roughly 10% of the total salivary load. These bacteria are the ones that cause dental caries, and once you remove the gum, the bacteria are eliminated from the field.
The gum does have to be sugarless or contain artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol & xylitolto also works(Sugared gum can actually feed the Intra-Oral bacteria that cause tooth decay). Chewing gum manufacturers constantly claim benefits such as remineralization of enamel, decrease in tooth decay, and reduction of plaque and gingivitis which can be trusted to an extent in the light of this recent study.
****We dont endorse any particular brand of chewing gum*** This study does show that chewing gum could possibly have the same advantage as brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly. However, this should not replace vital procedures like brushing and flossing but yes it can supplement oral hygiene measures especially in people with a greater tendency towards decay. The recommended oral hygiene routine still is brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque from the tooth surface and flossing regularly to remove these bacteria from between the teeth. In addition chewing gum can be chewed post sweet or sticky meals to reduce bacterial load and act as a cleanser reducing the risk of decay.
There maybe some relief in the thought that if you skipped your night time brushing routine at least be sure to pop in a sugar free gum for a few minutes and the job may just be done!