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Photo: R. RAVINDRAN

A PIECE OF GOODNESS? Ask your dentist

A class of +2 students vouched for it. “Chewing gum helps de-stress,” said Navin. “My daily 35 bucks on it is totally useful. I enjoy it and my mouth is fresh.” Manav said, “Helps me stay focussed,” and forty smiles cheered. Is gum the next medical miracle?

For the over-thirties, it’s unspeakable annoyance. Think teacher doomed to watching guys chewing cud during a discussion on Pythagoras. A squirming parent introducing a gum-in-mouth kid to a friend. Dentists waiting for the yuppie on the couch to dig out the sticky from the far corner of the mouth. Think singer SPB taking a full five minutes off his ‘Ennodu Pattu Paadungal’ to chide those who talk with gum in mouth. Or the hostess glaring at the kid removing the left-over from the tongue and pasting it on the furniture, or the mom struggling to pry loose the half-dried gum from her pattu sari or baby’s hair.

Question is: why do we need ad spots for chewing gum? Is it really a strip of goodness that our teeth can’t shine without? Let’s sift through the claims.

Claim 1: Chewing gum, tree-made or lab-cultured increases salivary flow. Salivary pH of course washes the teeth and neutralises some of the enamel-eroding, cavity-creating acid produced by bacteria. If you’re poor on saliva production, here’s the answer.

Claim 2: Chewing increases concentration. Dental gum helps you do mental tasks 20 per cent more efficiently. Chew anything — food, gum or air, insulin is released, glucose and oxygen are rushed to the brain, triggering learning capacity and ability to retain it.

Claim 3: Dental gum reduces accumulation of plaque. Long hours of chewing (yech!) will remove food debris, prevent rotting of food particles and keep the mouth clean and fresh.

Claim 4: Some gum brands are nicotine substitutes. Pop them in to stop smoking!

Claim 5: One artificial sweetener in gum is promoted as “beneficial”. It reduces tooth decay in children, reverses small lesions and inhibits bacterial growth. No one knows why.

Claim 6: Amazingly, this bit of chewy sugar could get you to lose weight. Those who chewed gum, snacked less and craved fewer sweets! “As long as there isn’t too much sugar, chewing gum is welcome,” said dental surgeon, Dr. Udaya Raja. “More salivation is good, gums and teeth get healthy.” So all the promos aren’t just hype? “Truth is truth,” he said. “Gum disease is linked to a host of other diseases. Dental cavities means losing teeth early. If chewing sugar-free gum moderately keeps your teeth clean and healthy, why not?”

Ah, but see what the promos don’t tell you. Gum typically contains a sweetener and that’s not good for your teeth. To counteract this, you have to put your jaw on silent wagging mode. In 20 minutes the sugar disappears and there’s enough saliva to rinse the left-over sugar particles.

“Maybe a cheaper option for cleaning teeth,” said a well-known Chennai dentist. “But gum-chewing causes stress and strain on the joint and wear and tear on the teeth. Dentures that should last four years wear off in eight months with constant chewing. And I’ve heard nicotine gums come with banned neuro-toxins.” He suggests green veggies, sugar cane and “Nature’s toothbrush” drum-sticks to develop healthy gums. Or a plate of salad, any day.

While Udaya Raja hinted at enlarged mouth muscles as a possible downside, ecologist Sultan Ismail had more. “Salivary flow? Healthy bacteria? Why don’t you chew pottukkadalai (roasted gram) or one of the navadanya? It has fibre, it’s nutritious.” He worries about players chewing gum while running. “They say it prevents dehydration. What if it blocks the respiratory passage when they breathe heavily?” He worries about the mint-popping culture too. “Dentists tell us very young people now develop cavities. Because of poor eating habits, they could have acid reflux even when asleep, bringing on bad breath. Is this why they pop in flavoured gums? Why don’t we go to the root of this?” He recommends saunf, cloves, neem and miswak to beat bad breath. “Brush, floss and manage your teeth the natural way.”

Take time off to check. Which corporate tells you that chewing gum is a health booster? Is there enough proof to back the claims? Will a dietician recommend chewing gum as a substitute for good nutrition and exercise? And ask your dentist: Can gum-chewers escape the dentist’s drill and the whopping bill?

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