A dentist has revealed how long you should chew gum and what can happen if you keep it in your mouth for too long.
While sugar-free varieties can reduce the risk of tooth decay and help strengthen facial muscles, consuming them for too long can lead to tooth decay and certain jaw disorders.
“My recommendation is to chew gum for a maximum of 15 minutes,” said Dr. Khaled Kasem, chief orthodontist and co-founder of Impress in Barcelona, told DailyMail.com.
Meanwhile, experts warn that swallowing gum could lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Chewing sugar-free gum can help prevent tooth decay and strengthen the muscles around the jaw. However, chewing for too long can lead to tooth decay and worsen jaw disease
But it’s not all negative. Sugar-free gum has been shown to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
This is because gums produce saliva, which removes leftover food debris and eliminates acids that cause bacteria in the mouth.
These bacteria can then cause tooth decay.
“Basically, with chewing gum we can lower the acidity and thus avoid or reduce the risk of dental caries,” said Dr. casem.
However, said Dr. Kasem, if you chew gum for a long period of time, say a few hours, the enamel, the smooth layer around your teeth, starts to wear down. This is called demineralization.
dr Khaled Kasem, chief orthodontist and co-founder of Impress in Barcelona, told DailyMail.com not to chew gum for more than 15 minutes a day
Without enamel, teeth are prone to cavities and cavities.
In addition, chewing gum can aggravate discomfort in the temporomandibular joints (temporomandibular joints), the two joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. These are the joints that slide and rotate in front of the ears. These include the lower jaw and temporal bone.
According to Johns Hopkins, these joints control chewing, speaking, yawning, and swallowing. Chewing gum puts undue pressure on them.
“Gum chewing may not cause TMJ problems, but it can make the problem worse in patients with a TMJ injury,” said Dr. casem. “We therefore recommend patients with temporomandibular joints not to chew gum.” [problems].’
Symptoms of TMJ disorders include pain in the jaw, shoulders, neck, or face, stiffness in the jaw, difficulty opening or closing the mouth, popping or clicking of the jaw, headache, earache, toothache, and ringing in the ears.
A 2014 study in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery suggested that chewing gum for long periods of time could increase the likelihood of TMJ disorders.
Experts also warn that swallowing gum can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal problems.
According to the International Chewing Gum Association (ICGA), the stomach cannot break down the gum base, the part that gives gum its chewing ability.
This means that digestion takes longer and, in rare cases, the intestines can become blocked.
Additionally, a review in the journal CNS & Neurological Disorders suggested that chewing gum regularly may trigger headaches in people who are prone to it.
Chewing gum can also aggravate other bone and muscle conditions.
“Patients with particular medical conditions such as arthritis or osteoporosis should avoid these patients.” [chewing gum]” said Dr. casem.
If you choose to chew gum, Dr. Kasem to always opt for sugar-free varieties, especially those that contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol and sorbitol.
“Xylitol is the best,” he said. “It’s a natural sweetener.”
A 2017 review in the Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine found that xylitol prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has also stated that adding sugar-free gum to a regular dental routine could help reduce the risk of tooth decay.
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