10 surprising benefits of sugar-free gum

Chewing gum is not just for fun or to make bubbles, it is extended to health, as the health benefits of sugar-free gum are multiple. Follow the article for more.

Many people chew gum for fun or to make bubbles in it, but they do not know that sugar-free gum has many benefits for the body and it may come as a surprise.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the following, let’s learn about the benefits of sugar-free gum, and a set of important tips.

Benefits of sugar-free gum

Among the most important of these benefits are the following:

1. Improves focus and memory

Chewing gum has been found to enhance  mental performance and cognitive functions, such as: concentration, memory, and reaction times.

ADVERTISEMENT

Chewing gum increases blood flow to the brain , which in turn increases the amount of oxygen available to the brain, which enhances memory and cognitive performance.

2. Improves alertness

It turns out that chewing gum can increase  alertness .

It’s believed that the chewing motion of the jaw stimulates nerves and parts of the brain associated with arousal, as well as increasing blood flow, which may help people feel alert or awake for longer.

ADVERTISEMENT

The mint flavor is also thought to be particularly useful for this.

3. Reduce stress and anxiety

One of the benefits of sugar-free gum is that it may help relieve nervous energy and increase feelings of calm, as it has been found that chewing gum helps reduce  the stress hormone cortisol, which is released as a response from the body to emotional states.

Chewing gum is often a great alternative to nervous habits such as nail biting, leg rocking, or feeling stressed out.

4. Protects teeth

The American Dental Association recommends chewing gum for 20 minutes after meals, as it has been shown to reduce plaque, encourage tooth enamel, reduce cavities and reduce  gingivitis .

The reason for this is the increased flow of saliva, which reduces the presence of acid on the teeth that causes and damages cavities.

5. Reduces heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease

For some people with reflux and heartburn, chewing gum after meals may help reduce acid in the esophagus by increasing the production of saliva that removes acid more quickly.

6. It refreshes the soul

One of the benefits of sugar-free gum and flavored with mint in particular is that it refreshes the smell of the mouth, and gets rid of bad smell, if any.

Chewing gum also reduces the level of bacteria in the mouth that can cause bad breath.

7. Help smokers quit smoking

Chewing gum is not a major factor in quitting smoking, but the use of products such as: nicotine gum  , can help with this.

In addition, chewing gum helps reduce cravings in the mouth for smoking cigarettes.

8. Relieves dry mouth

Another oral health benefit of chewing sugarless gum includes combating dry mouth.

It was noted that chewing sugar-free gum stimulates saliva up to 10 times the rest rate.

9. Relieves earache during flights

One of the benefits of sugar-free gum is that it relieves earache caused by changes in air pressure during takeoff and landing on an airplane.

When chewing gum, saliva is produced, which can help balance pressure in the ears.

10. Helps to lose weight

Chewing gum helps suppress cravings and makes you eat less.

In fact, chewing gum helps curb cravings for sugary foods, which is one of the main reasons behind weight gain.

Chewing gum has been found to be an easy and practical tool for managing cravings and consumption of snacks, especially sweets.

Chewing gum also reduces hunger for food, possibly through alterations in gut hormone responses related to satiety.

Tips 

To get the benefits of sugar-free gum, you should follow these tips:

You should refrain from chewing gum  if you suffer from any type of jaw pain or temporomandibular disorder.

Do not make chewing gum a substitute for brushing and flossing , as these must be used to maintain the cleanliness and safety of oral and dental health.

You should choose sugar-free varieties to avoid damage to your teeth due to sugar.

You should chew gum with your mouth closed, to prevent large amounts of gas from entering the stomach.