When you get braces, all you hear is you can’t do this, and you can’t do that. It’s bad enough that you need to have metal inserted into your mouth, let alone having to follow a strict list of dos and don’ts—and possibly even have a gummy smile to boot. The first thing you were probably told, is not to chew gum but that isn’t exactly true. There are actually benefits of chewing gum with braces and, in this article, we uncover what they are.
Chewing Gum with Braces
Regardless of whether or not you have braces, you’ve probably heard the “don’t chew gum” lecture enough times. “It’s full of sugar and you shouldn’t be willing to rub all of that sugar on your teeth” or “it’s not good for you, your teeth will rot,” etc. There is still some truth to those statements but it mostly concerns sugared gum rather than sugar-free gum. Recent research has found that particular artificial sweeteners
Why You Shouldn’t Chew Sugared Gum
Sugared gum shouldn’t really be chewed by anyone. This is down the effects that the sugar has on your teeth, and when chewing it, the sugar will keep its place in the mouth a lot longer. Sugar stimulates acid in the
Aligns Teeth Quicker?
The motion that your mouth makes when chewing gum creates a pressure of the teeth and then the pressure is released. This repeated motion can help manipulate the teeth into the position they need to be in. It can work alongside the braces and aligns the teeth much quicker.
After Meals
It turns out that
Reduced Pain
It’s quite widely known that braces are sometimes painful. First having them fitted can be discomforting and the same goes for the adjustment sessions. The dull aching feeling that is often felt throughout the time frame of having braces indicates that the teeth are moving into the correct position, which means they are doing their job. It has been discovered that, in some cases, chewing gum can relieve this pain and soreness. The motion of chewing gum can stimulate blood flow which kick starts a soothing action around the periodontal membrane. Not only will this reduce the pain but it can also decrease inflammation around the mouth. As well as its physical benefits chewing gum will also keep your mind busy instead of focused on the discomfort inside the mouth.
There Are Still Some Concerns
Nowadays, the materials used for braces can withstand much more than previous materials could which mean they are not as susceptible to damage or bending caused by chewing gum. The primary concern with chewing gum with braces was always that it would get stuck around the wires and brackets which would risk the alignment of the teeth and the condition of the braces themselves.
For those of you are having braces fitted you may find that your orthodontists and dentist will recommend the practice of chewing sugar-free gum. Rather than tell you to never ever do it, professionals have recognized the benefits and will offer some further advice as to when and