Many people love gum for a number of reasons, including flavor, breath freshening, cavity fighting, teeth whitening, smoking cessation and good old bubble blowing. Regardless of function, most gum is made from the same basic ingredients. You don't actually swallow gum, but you do end up consuming the additives in gum. Gum is made from gum base, the elastic material in gum that you don't swallow, plus flavorings, colors, preservatives and other functional ingredients that you do swallow as you chew the gum. There are a few questions to ask when shopping for gum. Do you want a sugar-free gum? Do you want to avoid artificial ingredients? Do you want to benefit from claims such as cavity protection? Or are you seeking the longest lasting flavor?
What to Look for
One dividing line in the world of gum is whether the gum is sweetened with sugar or another sweetener. Today, you are likely to find more varieties of sugar free gum than gum containing sugar. Sugar free gum is most often sweetened with a combination of sugar alcohols (mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, maltitol) and artificial sweeteners (aspartame and acesulfame potassium). If you'd rather not subject your teeth to sugar as you chew, go for the sugar-free varieties.
If, on the other hand, you want to avoid artificial sweeteners, you may have to settle for real bubble gum which is typically sweetened with sugar or corn syrup. Very few gum brands aimed at adults continue to use sugar in place of artificial sweeteners, but it's worthwhile searching for one of the new brands that use real sugar as a selling point.
For long-lasting flavor, you may want to stick with sugar-free varieties. Artificial sweeteners help the sweetness and flavor continue past the initial few seconds of chewing. Also, companies have made efforts to make gum flavor last longer with flavor capsules and time released flavor formulations.
Could there be health advantages to chewing gum? There is the issue of sugar and dental health, but that is easily overcome by choosing sugar-free varieties. But even sugary gums increase saliva production, and the mechanical action of chewing can help dislodge food after a meal. There are even dental health claims that chewing gum can be a stand-in for brushing teeth after a meal. The thought is that chewing gum dislodges particles of food from between your teeth and in your molars. More recently, the act of chewing gum has received attention for its ability to help improve cognition and focus.
Common Pitfalls
The sugar alcohols used in most sugar free gums are not completely digested and can cause intestinal disturbances or have a laxative effect. Be on watch for symptoms, especially if you chew gum or consume sugar free mints and candies often.
Some gums claim to whiten teeth. Ingredients are added to gum that remove stains or mineralize the teeth. While clinical studies have been performed to support the claim on gum labels, realize that the amount of gum used in the studies is often much greater than you would use typically.
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