Negative Effects of Chewing Gum

Chewing gum has been a popular pastime since it was commercialized in the mid-19th century. However, archaeologists have found evidence of gum chewing going back 9,000 years. Originally made from tree-sap, paraffin wax became popular in the 19th century as a gum, before chicle, derived from trees that grow in Central America, became popular once William Wrigley developed a technique to flavor it with mint.

There are positives and negatives to chewing gum.Chewing can freshen your breath, but it can also damage your teeth and jaws. And gum litter can have numerous ill effects on society.

Sugared chewing gum

• Chewing gum can cause a number of problems for the mouth. Sugar-containing gums can cause cavities to develop in the teeth due to increased levels of acid in the saliva.

Sugar-free gum

• Many types of modern gum are sugar-free, which, while less harmful than sugar, can still cause cavities in teeth. Sugared or not, gum also can cause a popping noise in the jaw (much like cracking joints) and it can aggravate or even cause the development of jaw disorders, such as temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ.

Societal Problems

• Chewing gum has become a major problem for local authorities due to the difficulty of removing gum from sidewalks. It is technically classified as a biological hazard, due to the traces of the users saliva which remain in the gum after it has been used. Specialist firms now exist to remove gum from public areas, the cost of which in the UK has been estimated at £150 million annually. It is also very difficult to remove from hair and clothing. No reliable research has been conducted in the U.S., but if it were an even conversion of pounds to dollars, it would cost the united States about $238 million.