Chewing Your Way To Healthier Teeth

By Nancy K. Crevier

Chewing gum is associated with a lot of negative experiences: it gets stuck on your shoe, wadded up under the edge of desks and backs of chairs, and snarled in hair. All of the unsavory characters in movies chew gum, vigorously and noisily. But looking those pistol-packin’ gum-chewers closer in the mouth might reveal some strong, white teeth, and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is willing to back that up.

The ADHA, for the third year running, has partnered with the Wm Wrigley Jr Company, maker of Orbit gum, in honor of the October National Dental Hygiene Month.

Wrigley’s Orbit and Extra sugar-free gums were the first two gums to receive the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval, but Dentyne Ice sugarless gum, Stride Sugarless, and Trident Sugarfree gums are also among the ADA-approved gums contributing to oral health.

“The new theme, ‘Keep them healthy. Keep them clean,’ continues to stress easy ways that our patients can incorporate a simple oral health regimen into an active and busy life in order to maintain optimal oral health,” says the ADHA website, announcing the partnership. One of those simple actions for healthier teeth is chewing gum.

It is the physical action of chewing that stimulates saliva and protects teeth, according to the American Dental Association at ada.org. When food is chewed, bacteria in the mouth produce acid to help begin the digestive process. That acid can break down tooth enamel, though. Natural saliva production slows as soon as food is swallowed. By chewing gum after eating, saliva is increased, washing away that harmful sugars and acid. “Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel,” according to the ADA.

“We don’t actively promote chewing gum,” said Dr Dawn Bogdan, who services clients at her 153 South Main Street office in Newtown and at 3 School Street in Bethel. “But [chewing gum] really does produce saliva so that you’re washing away the food particles.” What that does, she explained, is to neutralize the acid produced by those food bits.

It is also fine, said Dr Bogdan, to chew gum right after eating, unlike brushing the teeth. “We used to say, ‘Brush after eating.’ But that’s not so much the advice anymore,” she said. Because of the acids produced by food in the mouth, brushing immediately after eating can be very abrasive to the teeth.

“Rinse your mouth out with water if you want, or chew some gum, but wait at least 20 minutes after eating to brush,” she recommended.

 Lori Gibbs, a dental hygienist in Dr Bogdan’s office, stressed that any gum should be sugarless and not a fruit-flavored variety. “The fruity gums contain ascorbic acid, which can be damaging,” she said. “Any gum chewing should be with these stipulations,” said Ms Gibbs.

There is an additional benefit to increasing the saliva flow following a meal, said Ms Gibbs. Saliva naturally contains calcium, phosphate, and fluoride, all of which contribute to strong teeth and healthy gums. “So saliva,” she said, “actually strengthens teeth. That’s where gum chewing can be good.”

Sugarless gums sweetened with xylitol, a plant-based natural sweetener, appear to be most effective, as bacteria cannot thrive in a xylitol-enhanced environment. “Clinical studies have shown reductions in tooth decay by up to 80 percent in people who consistently use products sweetened with 100 percent Xylitol,” notes worldental.org.

Chewing gum is a fun and a quick fix, but it is not, noted Dr Bogdan, a replacement for regular tooth brushing or flossing.