Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

If you’re a regular gum chewer, you’re in good company. In of over 3,000 U.S.

teens and adults, 62 percent reported munching on gum over the past six months; and on average, they chewed about one piece per day. Gum chewing can affect various parts of the body, experts say — in positive and negative ways. The Potential Benefits Chewing a piece of gum spurs the production of saliva, which can protect your teeth from erosion by neutralizing the acidity in your mouth, said Dr.



Peter Arsenault, a dentist and professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Similar to brushing, the gum’s movement around the mouth may also remove bits of food and plaque from your teeth and around your gums, Dr. Arsenault said.

The extra saliva, he added, may also improve your breath, because bad breath is exacerbated by a dry mouth. Sugar-free gum options are generally better for your teeth than those made with sugar, which feeds the bacteria that can cause tooth decay. Gum made with the sugar substitute xylitol may provide added dental benefits, because in your mouth.

In , researchers found that chewing xylitol-containing gum (or eating xylitol-containing candies) three to five times a day after meals could reduce cavity risk by 17 percent. When swallowed, the extra saliva from gum chewing may help to neutralize acid in the esophagus, leading to fewer heartburn symptoms, said Dr. Aditi Stanton, a gastroenterologist in Cincinnati.

There is little research on the issue, but in of 31 people who were prone to acid reflux, researchers found that chewing sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after eating heartburn-inducing foods led to reduced acid levels in the esophagus. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

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