I HAVE BEGUN TO CHEW GUM, as there is evidence that the practice can enhance attention while promoting well-being. Today, we explore the mental and physical health benefits of chewing. Today, we look at gum and your health!
First, here’s writer Harper Lee’s take, expressed in To Kill a Mockingbird:
“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not die, I crammed it into my mouth: Wrigley’s Double Mint.”
Let’s explore chewing gum’s health benefits (and potential risks). We’ll begin with a brief history of the rubbery stuff.
History
Chewing gum has a very long history. It has existed since the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period (8,000–4,500 BC).
This Neolithic era included the introduction of farming, domestication of animals, and a transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of settlement.
Do you want to eat gum similar to that from 5,000 years ago? Grab some birch bark tar; Scientists discovered Finnish chewing gum from that time.
Chemically similar to petroleum tar, this unusual approach to gum production in that era may have had antiseptic and other medicinal benefits.
Mayans and Aztecs
Enter the Mayans and Aztecs, who pioneered using gum for its practical benefits.
These ancients used chicle (a natural tree gum) as a base to make gum-like material chicle and to stick objects together in everyday use.
Trivia
Gum may be the world’s oldest confection. As noted above, this edible treat is derived from trees.
The ancient Greeks preferred mastiche (mastic gum from the resin of the mastic tree), a chewy tree sap far less sweet than today’s products.
Why is it called mastiche? The Greek word for “to chew” is mastichan. This tree resin has antiseptic properties.
Stress
Did you know chewing gum can speed up your thinking and make you more alert?
Moreover, chewing gum during the workday can raise productivity. The practice is also associated with fewer cognitive problems.
One theory is that chewing increases arousal and leads to temporary improvements in blood flow to the brain.
A small 2012 study of Cardiff University (Wales) students showed this:
Chewing gum for two weeks decreased participants’ stress, particularly concerning academic workload.
The positive effects might be due to chewing, as it has been linked to drops in stress hormones (such as cortisol).
Memory
Chewing gum can also improve memory, according to United Kingdom psychologists.
One study discovered that individuals who chewed throughout long- and short-term memory tests had better scores than those who did not.
The gum chewers’ scores were 24 percent higher than the controls on tests of immediate word recall and 36 percent higher on tests of delayed word recall. They were also more accurate on tests of spatial working memory.
Memory study details
For this research, one-third of the 75 adults tested chewed gum during the 20-minute battery of memory and attention tests. One-third mimicked chewing movements, and the remainder did not chew.
The mechanism behind how chewing gum enhances memory is not fully understood.
One suggested theory proposes that the boost in memory could be attributed to heightened blood flow to the brain induced by the act of chewing gum.
Teeth
One reason I chew gum is to protect my teeth from cavities. Of course, I avoid regular, sugar-sweetened gum. I would hate for sugar to feed my mouth’s bad bacteria and damage my teeth.
On the other hand, when I chew gum sweetened with the sugar alcohol xylitol, I may protect my teeth even more than with other sugar-free gums.
One study showed this:
One year of use of low-dose xylitol chewing gum provides an effective means for the prevention of caries disease.
Xylitol prevents the growth of bacteria associated with bad breath and tooth decay.
Cavities and bad breath – Gum and Health!
The California (USA) Dental Association frames it this way: Xylitol inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities and bad breath. It does this because these bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) cannot utilize xylitol to grow.
Xylitol use over time changes the mouth’s bacterial quality, and fewer and fewer decay-causing bacteria survive on tooth surfaces.
Chewing xylitol-sweetened gum reduces bad bacteria in the mouth by up to 75 percent.
Finally, chewing gum improves salivary flow, allowing you to clear harmful bacteria and food debris.
Xylitol – Gum and Health!
Where can you find xylitol-containing products?
Look for chewing gum and mints with xylitol on the ingredient list. Again, the California (USA) Dental Association:
Generally, for the amount of xylitol to be at decay-preventing levels, it must be listed as the first ingredient.
You may find what you seek at health food stores or online.
Use xylitol mints or gum three to five times daily for a cumulative dose of five grams. I chew for about five minutes or allow the mints to dissolve fully.
As the large intestine digests xylitol slowly, you may experience (usually mild) softer stools.
Downsides
One review showed that regular gum chewing can trigger headaches in some individuals prone to tension- or migraine-type headaches.
Consider limiting your gum chewing if you experience migraines or other headache types.
If you like chewing gum, choosing a sugar-free gum made with xylitol is best.
However, there is an exception: Those with inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) should avoid sugar-free gum that has FODMAPS. These substances can cause digestive problems in those with IBS.
If you have inflammatory bowel disease, you might prefer a gum sweetened with stevia, a low-calorie sweetener.
Final thoughts – Gum and Health!
Finally, your dentist or other healthcare provider can be an excellent source of information for you.
Chewing gum (and chewing itself) has some mental and physical health benefits that surprised me.
Thank you for reading “Gum and Health!”
