There is already evidence that chewing sugar-free gum may reduce cavity formation primarily from stimulation of saliva production. Saliva has an anti-bacterial effect and additional saliva washing over your teeth is a good thing.
Now there is new evidence that chewing sugar-free gum also “traps” bacteria so that they are not available to harm your teeth.
In addition, sugar-free substitutes such as xylitol actually suppress bacterial growth as you chew gum containing those products.
Here is a list of American Dental Association approved sugar-free gum:
- “5” Sugar-Free Gum – Wrigley
- Dentyne Ice Sugarless Gum – Mondelez
- Extra Sugar-Free Gum – Wrigley
- Ice Breakers Ice Cubes Sugar-Free Chewing Gum – Hershey
- Orbit For Kids Sugar-Free Gum – Wrigley
- Orbit Sugar-Free Gum – Wrigley
- Stride Sugarless Gum – Mondelez
- Trident Sugar-Free Gum – Mondelez
Chewing gum for dental health should be in addition to, not a substitute for, good brushing and flossing. However, gum chewing is not recommended for children under 4 years of age.
So the answer to the original question is “yes”, regularly chewing sugar-free gum can be beneficial to a preventative oral health plan. Happy Chewing!
