Chewing Gum Is It Good Or Bad For You
It turns out that chewing gum can be really good for you for a variety of reasons. If you’re looking to ways to help you focus, reduce nausea, or simply improve your breath, grab some gum and you’ll be good to go! Here are some reasons chewing sugarless gum is actually good for you:
It Improves Your Focus And Memory
Multiple studies have found that chewing gum boosts mental performance. Brain functions, like focus, memory, and even reaction times, have been seen to improve when people chewed gum. It’s thought that this boost results from increased blood flow to the brain by chewing. In fact, some studies have shown a 25%-40% increase. So, when blood flow increases to the brain, oxygen also increases in the brain which helps to enhance memory and other cognitive functions.
It Wakes You Up
Additionally, a lot of studies have shown that chewing gum can make you more alert. The movement of chewing is thought to stimulate nerves and increase blood flow. This might help some people feel more awake or stay awake for longer. In fact, mint-flavored gum is thought to be especially useful for this.
It Helps Stress And Anxiety
There have been people who said that chewing gum can help relieve nervous energy and make you feel somewhat calmer. It turns out that chewing gum can be a good substitute for nervous habits. As a matter of fact, this is backed up by studies that show gum-chewing helps reduce the stress hormone, cortisol.
It Protects Your Teeth
It turns out that the American Dental Association recommends chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals. The reason for this is that it’s been proven to reduce plaque, promote tooth enamel, reduce cavities, and reduces gingivitis. Chewing gum increases saliva flow which reduces acid on your teeth that cause decay. The only thing is you need to make sure the gum is sugarless to reap these benefits. Gum with sugar can actually add to acid build-up.
It Reduces Acid Reflux And Heartburn
Some people who deal with acid reflux and heartburn might find that chewing gum after meals can help reduce these things. It’s been shown to reduce acid in the esophagus as a result of increased saliva production. When saliva production increases, you tend to swallow more which will help clear the acid more quickly. However, it’s wise to avoid peppermint and spearmint flavors since they can raise acid levels and make heartburn worse.
It Improves Your Breath
This one is a no-brainer. When you want to fight bad breath, some gums are better than others. In fact, research has found that a well-known cinnamon gum reduced bacteria in the mouth that caused bad breath. It contains a plant essential oil that does this. The key is picking the best breath-freshening gums. So, find those that come from plant oils and fight bacteria rather than simply mask odors.
It Fights Nausea
If you’re looking for a natural relief for nausea, try safe herbal gums. There are ginger gums that will help with this issue. The ginger and increased saliva production will help soothe acid and stomach irritability.