Why Your Dentist Approves Sugar-Free Gum
Do you like to chew gum in between meals? Not all gum is created equal. In fact, the type of gum you choose can make a big different to your dentist. Here’s a closer look at why you need to “stick” to sugar-free gum. Not only is sugarless gum safe for your teeth, it can actually bring some benefits to your oral health too!
What Happens with Bacteria and Sugars Collide?
Unless your gum is labeled as “sugar-free” or “sugarless,” you can count on introducing unwanted sugars into your mouth with every chomp or chew. As this sugar dissolves into your saliva, the bacteria in plaque will feast on it. In fact, oral bacteria thrives on the lingering sugars inside your mouth. When the bacterial cell absorbs your chewing gum sugar, it gives the bacteria plenty of energy it needs to reproduce. The more bacteria multiply, the more damaging acids are produced and the greater risk you have for decay and gum disease!
Reasons to Buy Dentist-Approved Sugar-Free Gum
Instead of being sweetened with sugar, sugar-free gum is sweetened with sugar alcohols or artificial sugar such as xylitol. While xylitol is easily absorbed by bacteria just like real sugar, the bacteria uses the extra energy to expel the xylitol instead of using it to breed or reproduce. This makes it less likely for it stick to your teeth and more likely to just die off. Approved sugar-free gum is gum that contains less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving.
There are added benefits of chewing sugarless gum. Without the worry of sugars, you can reap the advantages that gum has for increasing saliva production and rinsing away loose food particles after you eat. This can help fight against bad breath, dry mouth, enamel erosion and more.
The next time you want to freshen your breath with chewing gum, look for the ADA Approval
At Laguna West Dental, we love helping our patients keep a healthy and clean mouth in between routine dental visit. For more questions or concerns regarding your dental habits, please call our Elk Grove office.