Chewing gum is not a healthy option

Team L&M

Chewing Gum is a favourite of all kids, and many adults too. Many of you must be eating chewing gum as a snack, a pass time or simply due to the sweet flavour. Although eating chewing gum after a meal could be healthy as the saliva released in the process helps clean teeth and its flavour can add freshness to the breath. But you must not get addicted to it. It is not a healthy option to eat as it not only impacts your teeth, but your other body systems as well.

1) Chewing gum can cause pain, tightening and inflammation of the jaw muscles, ear aches, toothaches, even chronic headaches.

2) Peppermint-flavoured chewing gum can cause gastric acid reflux. Chewing gum that is sweetened with artificial sweeteners can cause indigestion, and may lead to diarrhoea.

3) Chewing gum contains lots of sugar so when you chew it you are actually bathing your teeth with sugar which can cause dental erosion and tooth decay.

4) Amalgamated dental fillings contain silver, mercury and tin. Chewing gum releases mercury vapour from the fillings, which can be rapidly absorbed into the blood. Even though the quantity of mercury is small, it still contaminates the system.