Choose a Tooth-Friendly Gum to Prevent Cavities

While you likely know that brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis are two keys to good oral health, you may be surprised to hear that you can also improve the health of your teeth by chewing gum on a regular basis. According to the ADA, chewing gum for just 20 minutes after each meal greatly reduces the risk of cavity development.

Read on to learn how chewing gum prevents cavities and how to choose a tooth-friendly gum.

How Chewing Gum Prevents Cavities

While chewing sugar-filled gum can promote cavity development, chewing sugar-free gum can benefit your oral health in many ways. Chewing sugar-free gum has been shown to increase the salivary production of the average mouth by about 10 to 14 times. Saliva is one of your body's main natural cavity-fighting tools. This increase in saliva production benefits your mouth in many ways.

Saliva neutralizes acids in your mouth that contribute to the development of cavities, tooth decay, and enamel erosion. In addition, saliva contains calcium, phosphorus, and fluoride (if you drink fluoride-containing water). As your teeth are bathed in saliva, these elements help strengthen your tooth enamel to further prevent cavities.

When you chew gum directly after a meal, this saliva also helps rinse food particles and sugars off your teeth before they begin wreaking havoc on your oral health.

While any sugar-free gum can stimulate saliva production, you can obtain additional dental health benefits when you choose your gum carefully.

3 Tips for Choosing a Tooth-friendly Gum

1. Choose a Saliva-Stimulating Flavor

Some gum flavors stimulate saliva production more than others. Studies have shown that strawberry-flavored gum stimulates saliva production the most, especially during the first minute of chewing. Watermelon- and apple-flavored gums increase saliva production almost as much as strawberry-flavored gum.

If you prefer more traditional mint- or cinnamon-flavored gums, then realize that while these gums have not been shown to stimulate saliva production quite as much as the fruity flavors mentioned, spearmint- and cinnamon-flavored gums are more effective at lowering the acidity of your mouth than gums with fruit flavors.

2. Avoid Gum that Contains Citric Acid

Some sugar-free gums, especially those with sour flavors, contain citric acid. A gum that contains citric acid can increase the acidity of your entire mouth when you chew it. Cavity-causing bacteria flourish in an acidic mouth. Gum that contains citric acid can also cause tooth enamel erosion, especially when chewed frequently. Acid erosion is a form of chemical wear-and-tear on tooth enamel that cannot be reversed.

Check the label of the sugar-free gum you purchase to ensure it does not contain citric acid to make sure your gum improves your oral health instead of wreaking havoc on it.

3. Look for Sugar Substitutes that Kill Bacteria

Sugar-free gums are flavored with various sugar substitutes. Many are sweetened with sorbitol and/or maltitol, which are sugar substitutes that do not contribute to tooth decay. While these sugar substitutes are not bad for your oral health, gums that contains xylitol or erythritol offer additional dental health benefits beyond those offered by gums containing more common sugar substitutes.

When you chew gum sweetened with xylitol, cavity-causing oral bacteria consume the xylitol as they would sugar, which is their primary food source. However, these bacteria die after consuming xylitol instead of growing like they do after eating sugar.

Surprisingly, xylitol only kills the bad, cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth without affecting the healthy bacteria. Consuming xylitol may also help your body absorb more of the calcium you eat, which can help strengthen your teeth from the inside out.

If you cannot find a sugar-free gum that contains xylitol, then consider a gum sweetened with erythritol. Erythritol also kills cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth to further prevent cavities.

If you develop frequent cavities, then chew sugar-free gum several times each day, especially after meals. You may notice a dramatic drop in the number of cavities you develop. Contact Rabel Family Dentistry to schedule a dental exam with an experienced dentist who can also provide personalized dental health advice today.