Chewing Gum

Nowadays, gum widely varies in its shape and flavor from spearmint to cheesecake flavored. The spearmint and peppermint flavors are the most popular in today's market. Did you know that the average person chews over 300 pieces of gum per year? Wow, I honestly don't think I have ever chewed that much gum in one year. Although chewing gum is some peoples favorite pastimes, it does have some serious drawbacks to it.

To start, chewing gum can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and cavitites because of the sugar that coats our teeth when we chew it. It slowly damages our tooth enamel, which leads to these issues. Secondly, the artifical sweeteners used to provide and special kind of taste or a longer lasting flavor runs the risk of causing allergies. These artificial sweeteners can also cause irritation or headaches. Next, chewing gum causes jaw stress and in many cases social distraction. Chewing gum in social environments is now accepted in most places, but it can be very distracting and irritating. I can definitely relate to this. For example, one of my teachers in the past chewed a lot of gum all the time and I found it very distracting and difficult to focus on the lesson.

On the other hand, chewing gum also has its benefits. Chewing gum helps to improve your memory and enhance your cognitive powers. It has been found that people who chew gum throughout tests have had better results than those who did not. Next, it reduces symptoms of stress, for it increases alertness and concentration within yourself and it help to reduce tension and release nervous energy when you are chewing. Lastly, chewing gum helps to improve digestion. The constant chewing increases saliva flow and promotes frequent swallowing. This helps to prevent reflux of acid from the stomach back into the throat.

All in all, chewing gum has many benefits and drawbacks, but I think I will still continue to chew gum. But I will try to stay below 300 pieces per year!