When on the go,
remember Eat.Drink.Chew.™
Chewing sugar-free gum after meals has proven benefits for oral health. More than 20 years of research, supported by expert reviews and statements from authoritative bodies, highlights that when you chew sugar-free gum you can help protect your teeth.
According to research, chewing sugar-free
gum helps to protect your teeth by: 
- Stimulating flow of saliva in the mouth 1
- Cleaning the mouth of food debris 2,3
- Relieving dry mouth discomfort 1,3
- Neutralizing plaque acids that form in the mouth after eating fermentable carbohydrates 2,4,5
- Helping to remineralize enamel to strengthen teeth 6,7
- Helping to reduce plaque 1,3
- Helping to whiten teeth by reducing and preventing stains 8
Chewing Gum and Saliva
Chewing gum stimulates one of the most powerful defense mechanisms in the body – saliva – and saliva is vital to good oral health.
Saliva has three main protective functions:
- the water dilutes and washes away food debris;
- the bicarbonate neutralizes and buffers plaque acids; and
- the calcium and phosphate ions contribute to remineralization of early dental caries lesions.
It also contains antibacterial agents.
Saliva alone is a powerful protector of the oral cavity, and chewing gum is an efficient and pleasant way to increase saliva without drugs.
Increasing saliva in the mouth is accomplished by the stimulation of flavors and the gustatory action of chewing. Together these forces stimulate the salivary glands to increase their flow rate by about 10 times the resting state during the first few minutes of chewing and keep it significantly elevated for as long as one chews.1
1 Edgar WM, Dawes C, O’Mullane D. Saliva and Oral Health: An Essential Overview for the Health Professional. (Third Edition): British Dental Association Publication, 2004; London, W1G 8YS.
2 Addy M, Perriam E, Sterry A. “Effects of sugared and sugar-free chewing gum on the accumulation of plaque and debris on the teeth.” J Clin Periodontol. 1982; 9(4): 346-354.
3 Moss SJ. Benefits of Chewing. New York: Health Education Enterprises, Inc. 2003.
4 Park KK, Schemehorn BR, Bolton JW, Stookey GK. “Effect of sorbitol gum chewing on plaque pH response after ingesting snacks containing predominantly sucrose or starch.” Am J Dent. 1990; 3(5): 185-191.
5 Manning RH, Edgar WM. “pH changes in plaque after eating snacks and meals, and their modifi cation by chewing sugared or sugar-free gum.” Brit Dent J. 1993; 174: 241-244.
6 Leach SA, Lee GTR, Edgar WM. “Remineralization of artifi cial caries-like lesions in human enamel in situ by chewing sorbitol gum.” J Dent Res. 1989; 68: 1064-1068.
7 Kashket S, Yaskell T, Lopez LR. “Prevention of sucrose-induced demineralization of tooth enamel by chewing sorbitol gum.” J Dent Res. 1989; 68(3): 460-462.
8 Yankell SL, Emling RC. “Effi cacy of chewing gum in preventing extrinsic tooth staining.” J Clin Dent. 1997; 8: 169-172.
How Chewing Gum Works to
Promote Good Oral Health
The primary challenge to oral and dental health originates from the foods we eat. The carbohydrates we consume are used by the bacteria in plaque found on tooth surfaces. These bacteria generate organic acids that lower the pH level of the oral cavity. As the pH drops below 5.7, the acids from the bacterial fermentation begin to dissolve minerals on the tooth surface, creating a demineralized subsurface lesion. These reversible lesions are clinically described as white spots. The low pH state can last hours after eating occasions. Over time the acid can dissolve areas of the tooth and create a cavity that must be filled.
Increased saliva flow can accelerate the clearance of food debris and dietary carbohydrates from the mouth and has been documented by several researchers.2,3,11,12,13,14,15 Stimulated saliva also has a high bicarbonate concentration that enhances the capacity to neutralize acid produced above the critical 5.7 pH level.4,5,16 It is supersaturated with minerals that consist of the same components that make up teeth, such as calcium, phosphate and hydroxyl ions. These components shift the equilibrium from demineralization to remineralization, building back mineral density in the tooth to reverse the lesion and strengthen the tooth.7
International Recognition for
Oral Health Benefits of Sugar-free Chewing Gum
The FDI World Dental Federation17, the American Dental Association, and 21 other national dental associations around the world have recognized the scientific evidence behind chewing sugar-free gum for oral health benefits. Wrigley’s Orbit® and Extra® sugarfree chewing gums were the first chewing gums in the U.S. to receive the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Seal of Acceptance after a thorough analysis of the nearly 20 years of independent scientific research.18
Future Benefits—“Healthy Mouth/Healthy Body”
Emerging research in oral health suggests that having a “healthy mouth” may play a pivotal role in overall health. Science suggests that inflammation in the body could be a factor associated with such diseases as heart disease and diabetes. Some researchers have suggested that this inflammation may be related to the bacteria found in the mouth.19
The Bottom Line
There is significant published scientific research demonstrating the many dental benefits of chewing sugarfree gum. Chewing sugarfree gum after eating can be an important adjunct to a good oral care regimen.
11 Mouton C. “The effi cacy of gum chewing and xylitol to reduce oral glucose clearance time.” J Can Dent Assoc. 1983; 49: 655-660.
12 Triolo P, Jensen M. “Effect of chewing gum on food clearance from the dentition.” J Dent Res. 1990; 69: Abstract #220.
13 Burt, B. A. (2006). “The use of sorbitol- and xylitol-sweetened chewing gum in caries control.” J Am Dent Assoc 137(2): 190-6.
14 Deshpande, A. and A. R. Jadad (2008). “The impact of polyol-containing chewing gums on dental caries: a systematic review of original randomized controlled trials and observational studies.” J Am Dent Assoc 139(12): 1602-14.
15 Mickenautsch, S., S. C. Leal, et al. (2007). “Sugar-free chewing gum and dental caries: a systematic review.” J Appl Oral Sci 15(2): 83-8.
16 Macpherson LMD, Dawes C. “Effects of salivary film velocity on pH changes in an artificial plaque containing streptococcus oralis after exposure to sucrose.” J Dent Res. 1991; 70: 1230-1234.
17 The FDI World Dental Federation http://www.fdiworldental.org/policy-statements-english
18 ADA Seal of Acceptance Program, The American Dental Association: http://www.ada.org/5277.aspx?company=Wm.+Wrigley+Jr.+Company
19 Barnett ML. “The oral-systemic disease connection: an update for the practicing dentist.” Special Supplement to J Am Dent Assoc. 2006; 137: 5S-6S.