How many chewing gums are there

Everyone chews gum! Last year alone, 1. There are many benefits for those who chew gum. It freshens up our breath and helps remove food particles that get stuck between our teeth.

It helps reduce stress for some and helps fight off hunger cravings for others. Chewing gum also stimulates saliva production, which helps fight off nasty plaque and certain gums containing the sweetener xylitol have actually been reported to fight cavities. With all these benefits associated with chewing gum, is there any reason not to do it? Some people claim to have experienced side effects such as headaches, dizziness and mood swings after consuming Aspartame, though the FDA and American Cancer Society have not issued any official warnings about it except for people who lack the necessary enzyme to break it down.

The tempromandibular joint, or TMJ, is the place where your jawbone attaches to your skull. TMJ disorders result from the muscles which control this join becoming fatigued or unbalanced. While most gum chewing does not cause TMJ disorders, people who develop a regular gum chewing habit can experience muscle fatigue which places them at risk of TMJ disorders. Aggressive gum chewing or lopsided chewing chewing only on one side of the mouth both increase the risk of developing TMJ disorders, as these behaviors are more stressful on the TMJ area than others.

Chewing gum on a regular basis as a habit can also lead to excessive wear on the tooth enamel, and even lead to changes in your bite alignment. Specifically, the upper molars may spread apart gradually, while the lower molars begin to gradually drift backward leading to an overbite.

If the behavior continues and is left unchecked, these changes can eventually lead to the need for orthodontic care to correct them.

Additionally, if the enamel is allowed to gradually wear down, the teeth may become sensitive to hot or cold foods and beverages, or acidic foods. Some gum chewers, especially younger people such as teens in high school have experienced headaches as a result of excessive gum chewing.

This is a result of the jaw muscles becoming fatigued. These headaches are usually the result of a student chewing gum as a way of dealing with stress, such as when studying for or taking an important test. This stress tends to lead to chewing harder and faster as well, which further exacerbates the problem, leading to a tension headache.

Dentists generally recommend sugar-free gum. However, if you chew gum which is not sugar free, while you might avoid some of the potential pitfalls that come with artificial sweeteners assuming only sugar is used and not a combination of artificial and natural sweeteners , you may put yourself at an increased risk of developing cavities due to exposing your teeth to sugar for a prolonged period of time.

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