Chewing Gum Nov 22th

Listen and follow:

Read the complete topic:

A piece of gum can provide the much-needed mouth refreshment for your after-lunch breath. One of the world’s top chewing gum manufacturers is Wrigley company, and its Doublemint chewing gum brand is popular and long-lasting. Healthline defines chewing gum as a soft, rubbery candy that is designed to be chewed but not swallowed. Different brands and countries may have variations of their chewing gums and manufacturers do not share their exact recipes. However, gum base, resin, softeners, flavorings, sweeteners, fillers, and preservatives are its basic ingredients. Today we will talk more about chewing gum.

Jennifer P. Mathews, a Mayan archaeologist and the writer of the book "Chicle: The Chewing Gum of the Americas, from the Ancient Maya to William Wrigley," explained that chewing gum has been around hundreds of years ago in the form of chicle, a resin extracted from the sapodilla tree in southern Mexico and Central America. Mayans and the Aztecs collect, cook, and dry this resin to create a chewable substance from it. They used this to ease thirst and hunger. In the past, chewing gums were natural plant-based but today, most are made from synthetic rubbers and are sold in large amounts.

A few brands of chewing gum contain small amounts of questionable ingredients such as aspartame, an artificial sweetener that has been linked to rumors and concerns that it can cause cancer. Another is titanium dioxide, a fine powder used to whiten products. It is commonly found in industrial and consumer products, including toothpaste, soap, paints, sunscreen, coatings, food colorants, ceramics, and so on. Furthermore, we don't need to worry as the right amount of these ingredients are considered safe for human consumption, it's just that they are controversial.

According to a study, sugar-free gum, especially those xylitol-sweetened, could prevent tooth decay and boost dental health. Xylitol is a sugar substitute ingredient that helps reduce levels of bad bacteria causing your mouth to have a more fresh breath. In contrast, sugar-sweetened gum may lead to a high risk of tooth decay and erosion, as you are exposing your teeth and gums to sugar for a long time. So the best gum to choose is the one that is sugar-free gum and made with xylitol.

Chewing gum has also been shown to relieve stress, improve memory and alertness in numerous studies. The reason behind this is because most individuals find chewing a piece of gum to be relaxing. As a result, levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop. Chewing also keeps you awake and could help you focus on your task for longer periods.

Dry mouth is a common condition affecting about one in every four to five adults. Chewing gum is also beneficial for treating the discomfort of dry mouth. People who have a dry mouth may find it hard to eat, swallow, or speak. Chewing gum helps stimulate saliva flow, as your jaw muscles press on your salivary glands, it causes the release of saliva. But make sure that it is sugar-free gum to avoid calorie and carb overload.

It is false that when you swallow gum, it will stay forever in your stomach. Though our body won’t be able to digest the gum, it will just pass through our digestive tract and will be excreted in our stool after a few days. However, swallowing large amounts of it, or many small pieces over a short period of time is of course dangerous, as it can cause intestine blockage. So again, chewing gums are meant to be chewed and not swallowed.

To conclude everything, chewing gum may ease stress and increase attention but too much chewing can cause jaw problems. Sugar-free gums, in particular, are effective in reducing plaque, tooth decay, and cavities, but some of their ingredients are unhealthy to some people. While gum that has sugar is bad for your teeth and metabolic health. Everyone is discouraged from swallowing gum as it could cause choking and  digestive problems. Gums are not an alternative for oral care, the important thing to do is to brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean in between your teeth at least once a day with floss.