Have No Fear, Sugar-Free Gum is Here!

Hi Critters,

Oswald here! Did you know that chewing gum is actually good for your teeth? Well, not just any type of gum…sugar free gum is the way to go! Why is chewing gum actually a good thing for your teeth? Let’s go over the facts!

Chewing a piece of sugar free gum is a nice buffer after eating a meal. We’d love to be able to brush after every meal, but we do know that sometimes you just can’t. Chewing a piece of sugar free gum can help clean the teeth and structures after we eat. Food debris from a meal can start to break down into sugar. The sugar acts as a magnet for bacteria because they use it for food…yuck! And with bacteria comes the acids that bacteria produce. This is what slowly dissolves away the enamel of the tooth and produces a hole in it…aka…a cavity.

At Children’s Dental Care, we explain this event as an “acid attack” on the teeth. But…have no fear…sugar-free gum is here!

It is possible to minimize the risk of an acid attack on your teeth by chewing gum between meals as it creates a buffer in your mouth. The chewing of the gum creates more saliva, and saliva is the body’s natural defense against acid.

Chewing a sugar free gum not only helps combat tooth decay, but it also can be used to help with dry mouth and bad breath! Dry mouth and bad breath are often a result of a lack of saliva. Chewing sugar free gum greatly increases the salivary flow, which in turn decreases bad breath and dry mouth! Not a bad deal, huh?

So, now we know WHY chewing sugar-free gum can be a good option, but what type of sugar free gum is best?

A sugar free gum with xylitol in it is an excellent idea…and here’s why! Xylitol is a natural sweetener made from birch bark. This is a special sweetener because it has a sweetness to it much like sugar does, but it actually has benefits for your teeth. Studies have proven that xylitol can play a part in reducing tooth decay. It works by preventing plaque and bacteria from sticking to your teeth.

It is best to chew a type of sugar free gum directly after eating. By chewing gum for about 20 minutes after eating a meal, it speeds up the time it takes for the saliva to buffer out the acids sitting on the teeth from the food. Remember plaque can start forming on your teeth within a half hour of cleaning them!

And now you know every there is to know about sugar free gum. Give it a try sometime if mom and dad say it’s ok! But remember, don’t swallow it!

Stay Flossy,

Oswald 😊