While chewing gum can seem like a wonderful alternative to sugary snacks for your kids, it may have worse side effects than you might think. Think about the following things before you slide the next piece of gum to your children
A recent study found that chewing gum daily was linked to headaches in a group of teens. The test subjects stopped chewing gum for one month, and for ⅔ of them, their headaches went away, and about ½ of the remaining subjects had significant reductions in their headache amount and severity. When they began chewing gum again, their headaches came back.
Many people chew gum in order to avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. However, the opposite effect actually occurs. While people who chew gum do have a reduced motivation to eat, the things they do eat tend to be less healthy. Gum chewers are more likely to reach for potato chips and candy after they finish chewing than fruits and vegetables (part of that is due to the minty flavor of the gum – it makes fruits and vegetables taste bitter).
Chewing gum puts an excessive amount of stress on your jaw that can lead to TMJ. TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) is a painful condition that comes from overuse of certain muscles in your jaw. It can lead to headaches, neck pain, earaches, and other problems.
Gum that has sugar in it allows the sugar to coat your teeth while you chew. That can lead to plaque buildup and tooth decay. Even sugar free gum can be dangerous for your teeth, as they can contain artificial flavors and preservatives that can cause your teeth to slowly dissolve. If you have mercury fillings, chewing gum can allow the neurotoxin to release into your body.
Chewing gum can lead to stress in your stomach and intestines. It can worsen symptoms of IBS. Your stomach needs time to rest from food in order to digest, but if you consistently chew gum, you swallow an excessive amount of spit, not allowing your body to properly digest. The chewing also signals to your body that you are about to swallow food, so the enzymes and acids that your body uses to digest are activated, causing all sorts of problems. Your body can become bloated, start to over-produce stomach acid, and lessen your ability to digest food when you actually do eat. The artificial sweeteners in the gum can also cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Struggles to get to the clinic? Trying to reduce your exposure to COVID-19, as well as other contagious illnesses, and still need to see your doctor? Telehealth is safe and easy — receive quality care from anywhere.
As a parent, it seems like your life is filled with fighting your kids to do something they don’t want to. Take out the trash, do their homework, brush their teeth. It’s a constant struggle, to teach your child to be an independent being who can...
It’s no surprise that certain foods have different effects on your child’s teeth. Some foods, like those that are high in sugar, can cause serious dental problems if proper hygiene isn’t followed. Other foods are necessary for the healthy dental...
It’s normal for your baby to start sucking their thumb when they are young; it’s an important part of them learning how to self soothe. The simple act of thumbsucking as a baby is not something that you as a parent need to worry about. It only becomes...
When it comes to keeping your child healthy and hygienic, it’s easy to feel out of your element. Especially if you’re a new parent. Once you have a few kids, you start to get the hang of things and are able to make decisions based off of your past...
Individuals with diabetes are actually at a higher risk of experiencing gum disease. This is because of poor blood sugar management. Gum disease actually can cause a slight increase in blood sugar levels, which can make diabetes even harder to manage.
