5 Amazing Benefits of Chewing Gum for Your Mind

Everybody enjoys chewing gums; they would pop one while driving, relaxing, after a meal or simply to enjoy their oral fixation with something sweet. While you might already know that chewing gum is good for the teeth and keeping the mouth fresh, they also have a number of other surprising health benefits. Continue reading for all the pros of chewing gum that you need to be aware of.

* Prevents Cavities and Improves Oral Health

This is probably the one fact about chewing gum that most people know; it’s good for your teeth. Sugar-free gum is known in particular to be effective in preventing tooth decay with its effects being similar to mouthwash and toothpaste that contain fluoride. Chewing on a sugarless gum just for 20 minutes after a meal can keep teeth decay and gingivitis at bay. Basically, it works by increasing secretion of saliva in the mouth and removing food particles and acids on the teeth, which would otherwise lead to tooth decay. Saliva further helps keep the enamel strong by supplying it with calcium and phosphate to strength it. This means the teeth have greater resistance to decay and cavities. To give an extra boost to prevent teeth decay, choose gums with xylitol that come with extra minerals to strengthen the teeth.

* Eases Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a complicated problem where the stomach acids move up the oesophagus (food pipe) and chest congestion while damaging it simultaneously, which gives rise to the familiar burning sensation in the throat or chest. Surprisingly, chewing gum is a good way to ease acid reflux by clearing up the food pipe and neutralising the acids to give some relief. One study shows that chewing gum clears up the oesophagus by increasing the swallowing reflex and neutralising the acids as the gum makes the saliva more alkaline. This means the acid reflux is reduced to give you a soothing relief while reducing inflammation.

* Improves Digestion

While chewing gum has no direct influence on the digestive process, chewing gum before a meal actually improves digestion. This happens because the chewing action stimulates the mouth to produce saliva and the stomach to produce digestive acids effectively preparing the system for a meal. Therefore not only will it ease in swallowing food but also improves digestion by getting the stomach ready. Chewing gum after a meal not only helps keep the mouth healthy but also helps in avoiding indigestion by further stimulating the digestive process.

* Fights Nausea

People who are prone to morning or motion sickness can get great relief by chewing on a piece of gum, especially the herbal types that have ginger in them to aid in salivary production and digestion. Surprisingly, a recent study even shows that chewing gum can be just as effective as prescription drugs for nausea. It’s also worthwhile to note that chewing gums are frequently prescribed after a major bowel surgery by surgeons to help stimulate the digestive system. More studies back up this practice as an effective intervention thanks to its lack of side effects and low cost.

* Improves Memory and Cognitive Performance

If you’re engaged in a brain-intensive task, you could do better by chewing gum for brain. One study shows that chomping on gum while the subjects were involved in a range of tests improved memory and cognitive function, helping them do better than the control group who didn’t chew gum. It is believed that the increased heart rate and blood flow to the brain is responsible for the boost observed. Medical tests showed increased brain activity in the hippocampus, which is an area responsible for concentration and reaction times due to increased oxygen supply to the brain.