Chewing is often a mindless task that you perform throughout the day, whether you’re eating a meal, snacking, or popping a piece of gum into your mouth. While you might not usually give it a second thought, we suggest that you do so right now! By becoming more familiar with the good and the bad in regard to your chewing habits, you’ll have a better understanding of additional ways to protect your oral health.
Sugarless Chewing Gum: Usually A Good Habit
In a healthy mouth, chewing sugarless gum is a good habit. Especially if you chew it after meals, you are doing your mouth a service by increasing salivation and pulling the residue from food off of your teeth. The gum physically does the pulling, while your saliva rinses plaque and food particles away. However, if you are dealing with oral health issues like TMJ disorder or bruxism, you’ll want to skip extra chewing altogether.
Chewing Gum With Sugar: A Bad Habit
Chewing gum that contains sugar is always a bad habit, no matter how you look at it. Yes, the gum is removing food particles from your smile. However, it is also depositing heaps of sugar that encourage the development of decay. We say, protect your oral health and skip it!
Chewing On Ice: A Bad Habit
You might think that chewing on ice is good because it’s hydrating and calorie free. However, this is actually bad for your oral health. It encourages or worsens problems like bruxism and TMJ disorder. It can also erode and damage your teeth, leading to discomfort and sensitivity, as well as the need for restorative treatments.