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For many people, chewing gum is a classic past time. From blowing bubbles to keeping your breath minty fresh, gum can be both fun and socially helpful. But does chewing gum really clean your mouth?

The answer: it depends.

If you choose sugary gum, you can actually be harming your teeth. The sugar also increases your likelihood of cavities, which come with a whole new level of damage and treatment plans. If you want to chew gum that really cleans your mouth, you’ll want to start by avoiding sugary gum.

Sugar-Free Gum Helps Clean Teeth

If you love chewing gum, we’ve got great news: Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can help rinse off and neutralize the acids released by the bacteria in plaque. Chewing gum creates additional saliva, which can help strengthen your tooth enamel and in turn reduce your risk of cavities. In fact, chewing gum helps generate 10x the normal rate of saliva through both the act of chewing and the flavor of the artificial sweeteners in the gum. Not only does the increased saliva flow neutralize the acids in your mouth, it also washes away food particles, helping keep your teeth clean.

Verify that your gum choice is good for your mouth by buying gum with the ADA (American Dental Association) seal. It’s your assurance that you sugar-free chewing gum meets or exceeds the ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness.

Get Your Mouth Truly Clean

Sugar-free chewing gum can help clean your mouth, but there’s only one way to get that just-from-the-dentist clean feeling. Make an appointment today with Dr. Michael Fernandez Family Dentistry and experience what a truly clean mouth feels like.