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| Photo Credit: Lazy_Artist via Compfight cc |
If we gave you 30 seconds to name one thing you weren’t
allowed to have after you got your braces on, you’d probably say: gum! And you’d
be wrong…sort of.
Yes, there are a number of negative things gum can do to
your braces. Orthodontics nightmares like bent wires and broken brackets could
be the result of chewing gum. But if you chew the right kind and right amount
of gum, you could be doing your mouth a couple of favors!
Choose sugarless gum – Chewing gum
that contains sugar can be harmful to your teeth. Sugar fuels the acid
producing bacteria in the mouth. Those brands of gum that contain sugar can be
harmful to your teeth if they are chewed too often or if it is removed from the
mouth too soon. Gum with sugar in it also has a stronger likelihood of sticking
to your braces.
Activate that saliva – Studies
have shown that chewing gum can have an indirect, positive effect on dental
hygiene. After a meal, chewing gum helps to stimulate the production of saliva
and overall salivary flow. This saliva helps wash away and neutralize the acid
produced by bacteria in plaque. This acid is what causes dental decay and bad
breath.
Massage those gums – According to some reports, chewing gum can relieve some of
the pain that comes with braces. Chewing gum also leads to an increase in blood
flow around your gum tissue and this can prevent common symptoms like gum
inflammation from happening.
See? Gum isn’t all bad. Just be careful and choose the right amount of the right kind of gum.
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