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Chewing a Lot of Gum Could Be Messing With Your Body

  • January 05, 2018

Chewing gum may seem to be an innocuous, if occasionally objectionable habit depending on the manners of the chewer in question, but chewing gum has a number of serious potential side effects. Any appetite and breath freshening benefits that gum chewers may cite should be weighed against the potential harm. This Is Insider outlined some of these drawbacks and a few of the reasons that people adopt this habit. 

One interesting fact about chewing gum is that many people chew on a stick of gum to reduce food cravings and, theoretically, help them avoid eating unhealthy foods. However, while research shows that chewing gum reduces your motivation to eat, your hunger and how much you end up eating, gum chewers' meals end up being less nutritious than those eaten by non-gum chewers.

Chewing gum can cause jaw muscle imbalance (if you chew on one side more than the other) and even TMJ or temporomandibular joint disorder in your jaw, which can be a painful chronic condition. Anytime you overuse a certain set of muscles, it can lead to contracted muscles and related pain, including headaches, earaches and toothaches over time.

Chewing gum causes you to swallow excess air, which can contribute to abdominal pain and bloating seen with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Further, when you chew gum you send your body physical signals that food is about to enter your body. The enzymes and acids that are activated when you chew gum are therefore released, but without the food they're intended to digest.

Gum can damage your teeth and this has led to a proliferation of sugar-free varieties. Unfortunately, even gums that claim to be cavity fighting contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives and acidic flavors that can decalcify and even dissolve your teeth. Even more disconcerting is the fact they can dislodge and release mercury from fillings into your system. 

I generally recommend that you shouldn't chew gum or if you do use gum, use it very rarely or right before a meal when the acid and enzyme stimulation may actually be beneficial. If you'd like to give up gum chewing but are finding it difficult, consider why you're doing it. Consider using the powerful Emotional Freedom Techniques instead. This empowering practice can help you fight stress and cravings without gum.