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Some people are avid gum chewers, and some find gum completely irritating. There are so many types of chewing gums out there, it’s one of those things that runs the gamut between completely healthy and unhealthy. The Riverside dentists at Riverside Dental Group encourage you to chew away, provided your gum of choice is sugar-free and preferably sweetened with xylitol. Just be careful not to over-chew in case you end up overworking your sensitive jaw joints.

Trapping Tooth Decay

In an ideal world, you would brush your teeth after every meal. Keeping up with such meticulous oral hygiene habits isn’t necessarily so easy, however. We’ve all seen the secretary who keeps a toothbrush and paste in her desk for after lunch, but not everyone’s job allows for this dental health luxury. That’s when chewing sugar-free gum makes a viable substitute. Tooth decay relies on sugar mixed with germs to produce acid and demineralize your strong teeth. Gum with xylitol traps much of the sucrose laced food debris in your mouth after a meal. This means bacteria won’t be able to make a meal out of your leftovers.

Xylitol

Sugar free gum is not without controversy. Artificial sweeteners may have more downsides than positive factors. However, xylitol answers to concerns of ingesting chemicals. Xylitol is derived from plant fibers and tastes similar to sugar. Amazingly, however, the compound actually traps, starves, and kills the germs which cause cavities.

TMD

To avoid temporomandibular joint fatigue or inflammation, set a time limit for gum chewing to fifteen minutes at a clip. After that, give your jaw a rest. Excessive gum chewing is one of the common exacerbations of discomfort in jaw muscles and joints. Chronic inflammation in the TMJs is known as TMD (temporomandimular joint disorder). If you suspect you already have TMD, we can help with possible treatments such as customized mouthguards.

Preventive Dentistry in Riverside

For all your preventive dentistry needs, visit Riverside Dental Group. To schedule an appointment, you can call our Riverside dental office (951)776-9001. We take care of patients throughout Riverside County, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley.