Positive Things About Chewing Gum

In 1869, Thomas Adams introduced Adams New York Chewing Gum to America. Prior to this commercial product, Mayans chewed chicle from the Sapodilla Tree and ancient Greeks chewed Mastic Tree resin. Early gum products touted many health benefits. Beeman's Pepsin Gum in 1882 was promoted a digestive aid, and Dentyne Gum in 1899 was supposed to make your teeth white. In 2010 chewing gum actually does have many health benefits.

Saliva

• Chewing gum promotes saliva flow. Saliva has enzymes that help break down carbohydrates and bacteria that fights tooth decay. Saliva neutralizes acids that destroy teeth and minerals needed to rebuild them. Some elderly chew gum to ward off dry mouth when certain medications inhibit saliva formation.

Bad Breath

• A 2004 study at University of Illinois at Chicago found that chewing a cinnamon flavored gum, temporarily prevented the growth of the bacteria that caused bad breath. The plant oil, cinnamic aldehyde, found in the gum is a natural anti-bacterial agent, and it inhibits oral pathogens. In the lab the essential plant oils stopped the growth of the bacteria that causes bad breath. Research also showed that chewing gum without the cinnamic aldehyde did not reduce oral bacteria.

Plaque

• When you do not have a toothbrush, you can chew gum after meals.

  Chewing sugar-free gum can help clean teeth, especially when you do not have access to a toothbrush and floss. The act of chewing itself combats plaque. It helps reduce staining from plaque, and inhibits tartar and calculus buildup. Also, chewing gum discourages the chewer from snacking between meals, which cuts down on the amount of food particles in the mouth.

Stress Reduction

• In 2008, Andrew Scholey, Ph.D., professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia presented a chewing gum study to the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine. He found that chewing reduced anxiety and psychological stress when individuals were asked to multi-task a variety of activities. The research found the gum chewers were more focused and were better overall at multi-tasking, even if they were not gum chewers prior to the study.

Stop Smoking

• Nicotine Chewing Gum is medicine designed to prevent smoking cravings and help a smoker's body adjust to lower levels of nicotine. Nicotine gum comes in different flavors and regular and maximum strength.