Many people chew gum for a past time while working, sitting on public transport or driving, to satisfy their sweet cravings or as a method of combatting bad breath. However, what you may never have realised is that there are many other surprising benefits of chewing gum. Here are just a few that you may find interesting:
Increased saliva flow
People with dry mouth have a lack of saliva flow which can cause difficulty eating and swallowing. There are many reasons why this may occur, however, the most common reason is typically down to certain types of medication. In this case, your GP may suggest chewing gum to compares muscles within the mouth and increase saliva flow.
Reduces stress
The act of constant chewing could in fact, dramatically reduce your stress levels – since chewing can help calm. Many people experience nervous behaviours when they’re anxious such as biting nails or playing with their hair, however, chewing gum will become a great tactic to reduce some of these habits. A study discovered that within two weeks, those studied had significantly less nerve-induced behavioural traits than those who didn’t take part.
Helps you lose weight
If you’re constantly tempted by the food cupboards, one way to conquer your cravings would be to chew gum. We often eat snacks when we’re bored rather than hungry, so instead of reaching for the crisps, throw a piece of chewing gum into your mouth instead. The act of chewing has been proven to quash hunger pangs, which in turn means you’ll lose weight at a much quicker pace.
Prevents tooth decay
While saliva has a very important job of keeping your mouth moist, there is so much more to its role. It does in fact, contain essential nutrients such as calcium to keep your teeth strong and in good shape.
Combats nausea
Frequently get travel sick or suffering from morning sickness? Herbal or mint chewing gum could be the answer to solve your problems. This is due to the fact that mint can in fact, prevent acid reflux which may cause you to feel a little under the weather. A study discovered that 75% women who regularly chewed peppermint gum stated that they felt better in approximately 10 minutes. Chewing gum is frequently recommended by GPs to those who suffer from nausea a lot of the time.
Teeth whitening
A tooth whitening procedure can be extremely expensive at the dentist’s, but a significantly cheaper option would be to chew gum every day. There are many everyday habits such as smoking and drinking coffee which can stain the teeth permanently.
There are many teeth-whitening gums on the market to research into, however, standard mint chewing gum has the ability to whiten the teeth by increasing saliva flow which helps to wash away food in the mouth that would otherwise cause staining.
Increases alertness
It’s impossible to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Our sleep can be disturbed for a number of reasons (noise, light or simply feeling anxious) which can then impact our ability to remain alert and focused the following day. However, there have been studies to show that chewing gum has the ability to increase alertness due the fact that you’re repetitively keeping the jaw moving while chewing, which forces you to stay awake. Have an exam coming up and simply haven’t got the energy to study? Chew some gum to help you stay focused!
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