What are the benefits of chewing sugar-free gum? is chewing sugar-free gum really good for your teeth and mouth?

Absolutely! : Absolutely! xylitol based gum stimulates salivary flow and helps keep your teeth clean without feeding sugar to the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Too many articles on the internet to post here. Do a quick search and you will get a better understanding.

For : For the most part, studies have shown that chewing sugar free gum is beneficial to your dental health, especially when done immediately after meals. The benefit is two fold. First, when used after meals, chewing the gum will stimulate salivary flow that has protective benefits to the teeth primarily by washing the teeth free of food and creating a less acidic environment. Secondly, chewing the gum tends to decrease your desire to continue eating foods through out the day which leads to multiple acid exposures and an increase risk of decay. When looking for sugar free gum, check for products containing xylitol. This is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol sweetener used as a sugar substitute. Research has shown that this compound has beneficial effects in maintaining your oral health.

Chewing : Chewing sugar free gum has its benefits but there is a downside. Human jaws were not designed to be chewing all day long. Muscles get tired and can go into spasm, cartilage and bone in the joints can wear out. If you already have a jaw joint related problem you should avoid chewing any type of gum.

With in reason: The upside is that chewing sugar free gum stimulates saliva. This helps neutralize the acids that our oral bacteria produce after we eat and helps clear excess food from our mouths. The down side is that excessive gum chewing can lead to TMJ dysfunction. Sugarless gum chewing after meals should be limited to no more then 20 minutes and never by those with TMJ issues already.