chewing gum

composition

The production of chewing gum takes place according to the food law. This means that only those ingredients may be used that are harmless to the organism. Besides the waxy Base mass contains chewing gum plasticizers, fillers, glycerin, flavors and sweeteners.
Unfortunately, there is still chewing gum that contains sugar, but sugar-free chewing gum is on the rise, so that this is by far the largest share. These chewing gums contain either sugar substitutes or sugar substitutes. To get a fresh taste the chewing gum contains different flavors. It is very beneficial if it contains xylitol, a substitute that imparts sweetness without the oral bacteria being able to process it into acid. Depending on the taste of the consumer, different flavors such as. Peppermint or fruit varieties offered.

Dosage forms

Originally there was chewing gum in strip form, which is still widely used today. Little by little, chewing gum was also offered as a dragee, pillow or ball, especially when it could be drawn from machines. Dragees, pillows and balls have a coating that should not contain sugar. Some chewing gums are composed so that they can be inflated, which is great fun, especially for children.

Use

The chewing activity stimulates the secretion of saliva. The saliva fulfills an important role in the prevention of tooth decay. It contains minerals and fluorides that promote remineralization and, thanks to its bicarbonate content, serves as an acid buffer against harmful acids that can attack the enamel. Research has shown that chewing gum can increase the amount of saliva ten times. The flavoring substances also play a significant role, since chewing chewing gum without flavoring results in significantly less saliva. Chewing with sugar-free chewing gum therefore reduces the risk of tooth decay.

Chewing gum is not only used to prevent tooth decay, it also eliminates dry mouth. There are drugs, especially those used in geriatric dentistry, that reduce saliva secretion. Using chewing gum can restore normal proportions.

However, chewing gum is no substitute for brushing your teeth with a toothbrush. If you don't have a toothbrush at hand, you can remove any remaining food by chewing gum immediately after meals, but stubborn plaque cannot be removed with chewing gum.

Other effects of using chewing gum include relieving heartburn by neutralizing stomach acid. Chewing gum is even recommended as an aid to weight loss, as you cannot eat while you are chewing it. For travel sickness and seasickness, there is chewing gum that is fortified with a drug to combat these ailments.

What to think of chewing gum for dental care?

More and more chewing gum manufacturers are promoting dental care with chewing gum, but to what extent can the white chewing mass clean teeth?

Chewing gum as the sole form of cleaning the teeth is absolutely inadmissible, as it can mobilize soft plaque but cannot remove hard, mineralized plaque (= tartar). Food residues between the teeth are also inaccessible for chewing gum.

Chewing gum can still be said to be good because chewing it stimulates the flow of saliva and, especially after eating, ensures a faster neutralization of the pH value. The buffer systems within the saliva can neutralize the acids produced by the ingestion of food and thus represent a step towards caries prophylaxis.

Nevertheless, chewing gum is of no help in the case of already existing acid damage to the hard tooth substances and cannot reverse the damage.

The concern of many users that chewing gum rubs off the teeth due to the granules contained in it is unfounded, as the microgranules do not separate from the white gum and the chewing gum is not bitten through. Furthermore, the various ingredients are also beneficial for a healthy oral flora. For example, the sweetener xylitol is considered to be "Bacteria inhibitor", As it is not broken down into acids during metabolism by the bacteria and" saturates "the bacteria. In addition, ingredients such as casein and calcium accumulate in the tooth enamel to a small extent, or fluoride remineralize it.

In summary, it can be said that although chewing gum cannot be used for oral hygiene alone, it can, as an additional aid, lead to healthier oral flora, especially between meals.

Find out more here: Chewing gum for dental care

What happens if you swallow a piece of chewing gum?

Chewing gum is almost indigestible for the human organism, which worries many people if it is swallowed. But what exactly is it about these worries? Can be a Chewing gum lumps in the gastrointestinal tract form that is not eliminated?

Generally speaking, swallowing gum isn't a problem. The stickiness that it exhibits when dry is destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract by the moist organ walls, which is why the chewing gum wanders along the digestive tract without being able to stick.

Furthermore, chewing gum is so small in diameter that it fits through every part of the digestive tract, nothing is blocked and, in the end, is excreted normally.

There are horror stories about giant chewing gum balls that clog gastric or intestinal passages, but are only possible in extremely excessive cases. If a pack of chewing gum is consumed per day and all chewing gum is swallowed, this exception is possible.

Therefore, if just one piece of chewing gum has been accidentally swallowed, there is no need to worry. Even so, chewing gum should not be consciously swallowed because it is still indigestible.

Read also: What happens if I swallow a piece of gum?

Side effects

There are side effects from the use of chewing gum not to be expected. Swallowing is harmless. chewing gum is not absorbed and excreted undigested. Also sticking in Digestive tract does not take place. However, too frequent chewing on only one half of the jaw can have harmful effects on the jaw Temporomandibular joint lead and should therefore be avoided.

In patients who Prosthesis wearer or veneered with plastic Dental bridges chewing gum can stick to the prosthetic restoration and be difficult to remove. But there are chewing gums that do not have this unpleasant property.

disposal

However, the disposal of used chewing gum poses a problem. As already mentioned at the beginning, spitting it out on the sidewalk is a bad habit and is associated with high costs for disposal. It is better to wrap the chewing gum in paper and dispose of it in the garbage can.

The chewing gum from earlier times gradually disintegrated, but this is mostly no longer the case with today's chewing gum.

Calorie content of chewing gum

Chewing gum contains calories, albeit in small amounts. The majority mistakenly assume that spitting out the chewing gum does not absorb the calories, which is wrong. The fact that the chewing gum changes shape and consistency over the course of the chewing process is a sign that the body is extracting and digesting the contents of the chewing gum.

These include primarily the polyhydric alcohols, which includes the group of sweeteners. Even so, the number of calories in sugar-free chewing gum disappears, which means about 5 kcal per chewing gum. Therefore, there is no concern about consuming them in terms of calories.

However, caution should be exercised with chewing gum containing sugar, as they can contain significantly more calories.

Read more on this topic: Calorie-conscious diet

Chewing gum for nausea

Chewing gum is very popular with people who suffer from nausea. These include, above all, special chewing gum against travel sickness. These chewing gums contain the Active ingredient dimenhydrinatewhich acts directly on the vomiting center of the brain. Dimenhydrinate ensures that the vomiting receptors are inhibited and the reflex to vomit is prevented.

Furthermore, symptoms of tiredness and a slight drowsiness develop when the chewing gum is consumed, which allows those affected to relax when traveling.

Side effects of the active ingredient can be an increased heart rate, dry mouth and an increase in intraocular pressure, which is why the intake must be strictly clarified with the attending physician.

Furthermore, the suitability of the chewing gum for the patient and the dosage should be discussed in advance with the doctor so that there are no undesirable side effects.

It is used by chewing the chewing gum for half an hour about an hour before the start of the trip or, if necessary, during the trip. After that, the gum should be spat out. For adults, however, the rule is that no more than 7 chewing gum may be consumed per day. The maximum dose for children between 6 and 12 years of age is 4 chewing gum. Accidental swallowing is also harmless here.

You might also be interested in: Home remedies for nausea

Chewing Gum During Pregnancy - A Problem?

Chewing gum is safe to chew during pregnancy. Expectant mothers often shy away from chewing gum because it does "polyhydric alcohols" contain. Confusingly, this term only describes the sweeteners contained in it as an umbrella term and has nothing to do with alcohol.

Even menthol-containing varieties are safe for mother and unborn child.

Chewing gum can help relieve symptoms and calm a stressed maternal organism in the case of increased nausea and heartburn. Therefore, chewing gum during pregnancy can have positive effects that can reduce the unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. Furthermore, accidental ingestion of the chewing gum is not a cause for concern, as it is excreted undigested. Nevertheless, if you consume too much chewing gum, you should not consciously swallow it.

Learn more at: Forbidden foods during pregnancy

Summary

The use of chewing gum leads to a significant increase in saliva by stimulating the salivary glands. This promotes the incorporation of minerals into the tooth enamel and neutralizes and dilutes harmful acids. Chewing gum is not a substitute for a toothbrush. The chewing gum shouldn't contain sugar. Side effects are not to be feared. Disposal is best done by wrapping it in paper.