A well-known candy item, chewing gum is loved by many people, especially children who favor bubble-gum sugary flavors. A lot of schools and some business places demand that employees and students restrain from chewing gum not knowing that there are also some health benefits that can be acquired from it.
So, if you are one of those people who love or hate chewing gum, knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of doing it may provide you a better idea about the activity. You may want to weigh in the pros and cons of chewing gum before making up your mind about chewing gum.
The Pros of Chewing Gum
1. Chewing gum is recognized as good help for heartburn relief. Researchers have discovered that the extra saliva produced by chewing may seem to neutralize the digestive acid inside the stomach, which had leaked into one’s esophagus. This activity also seemed to assist in forcing back the fluids into the stomach. Therefore, it offers relief from heartburn. Chewing gum, of course sugarless, for at least thirty minutes can do the trick and could offer relief for as long as three hours.
2. Aside from the relief it offers to heartburn, chewing gum may also kill bacteria and thus making your breathe fresher. Chewing can stimulate production of saliva, so the more saliva inside your mouth means lesser bacteria to have in it. A gum sweetened with the substance known as xylitol is believed to boost salivation and avoid replication of bacteria inside the mouth. When it comes to choosing the flavor, it is great to prefer cinnamon because it could actually help with reduction of bacteria inside your mouth, naturally sugar-free cinnamon.
3. Another advantage you can get from chewing gum is the possible weight loss. A lot of chewing gum brands are packed with calories and sugar, which may lead to weight gain. But then, some studies claimed that chewing gum, particularly the ones free of sugar content can actually decrease mindless eating and food cravings. It has been recognized that chewing gum can suppress appetite, particularly cravings for sweets and decreased snack intake.
The Cons of Chewing Gum
Even with several advantages of chewing gum, it also has some disadvantages. The following are some of these:
1. Excessive Gas. Even though chewing might be helpful for weight loss, it may also lead to stomach discomfort. According to studies, chewing gum may cause belching and gas, as within the chewing process, added air amount is being swallowed.
2. Dental Health. Chewing gum may also provide some effect on your dental health. Chewing gum with sugar content may harm your teeth, which causes cavities leading to tooth decay.
3. Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome. People suffering from temporomandibular syndrome must avoid chewing gum since the act of chewing may strain their jaw joints.
How Do You Feel About Chewing Gum?
By weighing the advantages and disadvantages of chewing gum, you must conclude of how you feel about it. It provides both advantages and disadvantages. So, depending on your understanding you must then decide whether the act of chewing gum is right for you or not.
