Are There Health Issues Behind Gum?

As chewing gum has become widely popularized around the world, questions have popped up regarding possible health issues surrounding chewing gum and its ingredients.

Sugar in Gum

• Close up of rock sugar.

  The sugar in gum has been widely criticized for it's corrosive effects on teeth. There are some gum brands that use sugar to sweeten their product. The prolonged contact of sugar with teeth and gums will create dental problems. For this reason, dentists have advised their patients to avoid hard candies, sugared gum, and any other long lasting sugar product.

Dentist Recommended

• A dentist and dental assistant working over a patient.

  Some dentists have prescribed a sugar-free gum to their patients. The idea is that gum can be used to remove or dislodge plaque through the chewing motion of gum against teeth. Although it is not recommended to replace brushing, it has been advised as an aid to brushing.

Sorbitol and Xylitol

• A chemistry table full of chemicals in glass containers.

  Sorbitol and Xylitol are ingredients in sugar-free gum. They are often used as sugar substitutes to artificially sweeten gum products. Sorbitol has been known to have laxative effects on the body.

Chewing Increases Concentration

• Chewing gum is said to increase concentration. The US military has been known to encourage members of its armed forces to chew gum to improve their concentration during long and extraneous missions.

Choking Hazard

• Small children should never chew gum unless under the supervision of an adult. Gum is made of an artificial rubber that can get lodged in the airways.