Chewing Gum: Is it Good for You? The health benefits of gum chewing are under debate. Professionals feel it's uncouth. Teachers think it's disrespectful. And some are just worried about where it's going to end up (like under a table or desk). When it comes to whether or not chewing gum is good for your oral health, though, you can rest assured that so long as it's sugarless, it can be good for you. In this article we will discuss the benefits of gum chewing and the science behind it. Chewing Gum Replaces Other Sweets For those who have dieted it is a common occurrence to substitute gum for other sweets and snacks. Naturally, the many flavors of trident are not a match for a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. But, with some willpower and a steady supply, gum might just do the trick when it comes to keeping all that sugar away from your teeth and gums. Saliva Stimulation Reduces Acid By chewing gum a person increases saliva production. Saliva washes away any acidic substances in one's mouth. Acid from various foods slowly wears away the enamel that protects our teeth, so this is very positive benefit. Less Food Stuck in Your Teeth Lastly, anyone who has chewed gum knows that it gets food out of teeth. To illustrate, the following is a true story. Madison Avenue dynamo Zor Rothman brought his son Paul to the dentist one day. Paul sat in the chair to have his teeth inspected when his father said, "spit out your gum my little
solnyshko." Young Paul obliged and on the tiny piece of pink rubbery gum were bits of brown
specks. It seemed that Paul’s sweet little babushka had given him a box of Cracker Jack, and the gum had succeeded in getting a good deal of its caramel remnants off his teeth.
This is one reason so many people feel better having gum instead of mints after a meal. While a mint can be refreshing, chewing gum clears the scene.