Gum Won’t Stay In Your System for Seven Years

Certainly, someone told you not to swallow your gun or the rubbery blob would take up residence in your stomach for seven years. This became a concern for you every time you where chomping away on a piece of gun and suddenly accidentally  swallow.

Do not be alarmed though, the gum isn’t going to hang out in your inners collecting other gun accidents and form a large mass. Instead when you are chewing gum and swallow it, it will enter your stomach and move through your digestive system just like any other piece of food. This means that if you ever accidentally swallow a piece of gum, there is no need to be troubled.

Of course, this does not mean we suggest you swallow gum because gum has no dietary benefits.  Also if you enjoy gum you should chew sugarless gum, especially if you are wearing braces. Gum with sugar will most certainly lead to cavities. Sugarless gum has the same amount of flavor and few cavity-causing ingredients.

Some sugarless gum actually has an additive called xylitol. This is a natural sweetener which known to fight cavity-causing bacteria. Xylitol is also known to increase salivary flow as it rinses away plaque and acid.

Any bacterium in your mouth breaks down sugar and  the product left behind is acid. Acid eats away the enamel coating of your teeth, which causes cavities. Cavities can lead to other long-term mouth problems if they are not treated in time. This is why it is best to avoid overexposing your teeth to too many harmful substances.

If you want to know more about what type of gum is best for your teeth, contact Dr. Croft at Columbia Orthodontic.

Click here to see more about braces and then call 360 883-3800 to make an appointment with Dr. Croft.