Chewing gum for Better Health ? Chewing gum in public places certainly does not go well, but sometimes fragrant gum can offer much more than pleasant taste and fun. And before you say anything, the following clarification must be made: in order for chewing gum to be useful, it must be sugar-free and this process should not take more than 30 minutes a day.
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The chewing gum turned 141 years old!
Or at least this chewing gum we know today. In 1869, William Sample of Ohio received a patent for his fragrance. Sixty years later, chewing gum acquires its modern look. Walter Dimmer found the perfect ratio between its ingredients: 20% rubber, 60% sugar or substitute, 19% corn syrup and 1% flavor. And the main quality of chewing gum, no doubt, is its elasticity.
In reality, however, as early as the Neolithic, people enjoyed “chewing gum.” Archaeologists have discovered resin with tooth impressions on it. The ancient Greeks preferred mastic wood resin, unlike the Maya, who used sapodilla wood resin.
Today, the US military is developing a formula for a new type of chewing gum that contains antibacterial substances so that soldiers do not have to brush their teeth on the battlefield. Another type of invention by American scientists is caffeinated gum, which has the ability to keep warriors ready for long periods of time without them feeling tired or drowsy.
Provides additional hygiene for the oral cavity
And it is a good preventive measure against the appearance of caries. Daily use of coffee and red wine, as well as smoking cigarettes, change the color of tooth enamel, and we all know that the whiteness of teeth is an important indicator of their condition. It is true that no chewing gum can deal with stains on the teeth “alone”, but it is a good preventive measure.
Chewing gum keeps the oral cavity moist, stimulates salivation, thus helping to neutralize the negative effect of acids on tooth enamel after eating. At the same time, it cleans the teeth by mechanically sticking food residues, which are one of the main causes of caries and over time destroy the protective surface of the tooth. We should not forget the ability of chewing gum to refresh the breath in the oral cavity – a process that is limited in time.
We must be careful when choosing gum for our children, because children’s enamel is particularly affected by sugar (sometimes there may be blackening of baby teeth, which in turn can lead to serious problems with the emergence of permanent teeth). It would be useful for the chewing gum we buy to be sugar-free and to be additionally enriched with fluorine and xylitol, which effectively prevent plaque retention and caries formation.
It is important to remember that no chewing gum can replace a complete brushing of teeth with a suitable toothpaste, in our care of the overall condition of the oral cavity. Carrots and apples, on the other hand, are no less useful in this regard.
Chewing gum stabilizes immunity in the oral cavity
Bad breath is certainly not one of the most pleasant things that can happen to us. But fortunately, mint flavor and mint gum are the ones that effectively fight it, neutralizing it and halving the problem. However, it would be helpful if the gums also contain lactic acid bacteria, which take care of the balance of bacteria present in the oral cavity.
In addition, some gums are enriched with aluminum lactate, which significantly reduces bleeding from the gums and reduces inflammation in the gingival pockets in periodontitis.
Significantly reduces the secretion of acids in the esophagus
Another fact – chewing gum has a beneficial effect on our digestive system. This is due to the fact that during the process of chewing significantly increases the production of saliva, as well as its ingestion. It dilutes the aggressive stomach acids, and the swallowing reflex does not allow them to move back from the stomach to the esophagus.
Researchers at King’s College London have found that chewing gum regularly half an hour after eating not only protects your teeth from caries, but can also effectively prevent food and acid from returning to the esophagus.
Protects against inflammation of the middle ear
Inflammation of the middle ear is a “privilege” usually for young children, who very often suffer from a painful bacterial infection. But researchers at the University of Finland have found that this infection can be easily prevented by chewing gum with a sugar-substituting substance called xylitol. It can successfully deal not only with the carious bacteria contained in the plaque, but also with pneumococci, which cause inflammation of the middle ear.
Reduces calorie intake
American scientists have concluded that sugar-free chewing gum can help control weight by reducing calorie intake and increasing their burning. The study involved 35 healthy men and women who had to chew gum for 20 minutes before breakfast and then twice more before lunch.
And the results show that the participants ate 67 fewer calories at lunch and did not compensate for their lack during the day, in addition, they spent 5% more energy. Scientists believe that this discovery can be successfully used in the fight against obesity.
Chewing gum increases the ability to learn
Professor Siegrid Lerl from the German University of Erlangen came to the conclusion that chewing movements drive the processes of memory in the brain at high speeds. This is due to the fact that the brain has a better blood supply and the gray cells receive more oxygen when the jaws work.
A study he did with children from several schools showed that concentration, receptivity and memory abilities increased by 20% when chewing gum.
Another study by scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine found that chewing gum increased children’s math scores. The experiment involved 108 students aged 13 to 16 who chewed gum during math classes. 14 weeks later after passing the test, the results show that those who consumed chewing gum had 3% higher results than the others. In addition, experimenters find that these children need less time to rest and find it harder to cope with stress.
Prevents accidents ?! Is this possible?
Very often, driving for a long time, the driver of the vehicle gets tired, as a result of which his concentration is significantly reduced. And the statistics are eloquent: every fourth road accident is due to fatigue, distraction or a momentary loss of concentration. But would another tested cup of strong coffee be helpful in this regard?
Scientists from the Spanish University of Zaragoza have another, more acceptable and tasty offer – aromatic gum, which, in addition to refreshing the breath, keeps the brain constantly active, increasing concentration and ability to react quickly. For example, during the Korean War, American soldiers were specially provided with chewing gum so that they could concentrate as much as possible.
Chewing gum to help diabetics
Today, millions of people suffer from diabetes and are forced to inject insulin every day in order to survive. The question would be, “Why isn’t insulin available in pill form?” And the answer, unfortunately, is not in favor of insulin addicts, for the simple reason that insulin is broken down in the digestive system.
Robert Dale, a chemist at the University of Syracuse, is applying for a patent on a gum that fights diabetes. His idea is to protect the useful ingredients through this dock, because it is in the human oral cavity that vitamin B12 binds to a protein contained in saliva. This protein has the ability to protect the vitamin from degradation.
The experimenters linked vitamin B12 to insulin, and experiments with mice showed that insulin could indeed be delivered to the blood in this way. Scientists claim that insulin chewing gum would be especially suitable for diabetics.
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Chewing gum for Better Health
