What do we know about gum? She pretty "namozolila" our eyes in the commercials, her love our children and sometimes we chew ourselves if there is a serious meeting. But what exactly is this chewing gum, its benefits and harm for us and our children remain open questions. But this is not an unequivocal treat.
Chewing gum in public places is certainly at odds with a good tone, but sometimes it's just necessary. In fact, chewing gum can offer much more than fresh breath and taste pleasure. But before saying anything about the benefits of this product, the following statement should be made: the chewing gum can be useful only if it is sugar-free and if its consumption does not exceed 30 minutes per day.
History of chewing gum
It is officially believed that chewing gum was invented in the middle of the 19th century. In 1869, William Example from Ohio received a patent for his product, which is a chewing mass in the manner of plasticine. This chewing gum had its own unique taste resembling wood tar. Popular such chewing gum enjoyed weakly, until a little later it was not made sweet and flavored with more pleasant and familiar additives. Only sixty years later the chewing gum acquired a modern look. American Walter Dimar was able to find the perfect balance between its components: 20% rubber, 60% sugar or substitute, 19% corn syrup and 1% flavorings. The main indicator of the quality of gum, of course, was and remains its elasticity.
In fact, chewing gum came to people much earlier. Or rather - in the early Neolithic times. Archaeologists have found prints of teeth in pieces of resin. The ancient Greeks preferred the resin of coniferous trees, in contrast to Maya, who used sapodil wood resin.
Today, the US armed forces have developed a new kind of formula for chewing gum that contain antibacterial substances that allow soldiers to "brush" their teeth right on the battlefield. The benefits of this invention are obvious - it would be useful to many civilian special busy people. Another type of invention of American scientists is the chewing gum with caffeine content, which is able to keep soldiers on standby for long periods of time so that they do not know fatigue or drowsiness.
Additional hygiene of the oral cavity
Chewing gum is a good preventive measure against caries. Daily use of coffee and red wine, as well as smoking changes the color of the enamel several tones. But we all know that teeth whiteness is an important indicator of their condition. It is true that none of the chewing gum can "cope" alone with stains on the teeth, but this is a good additional measure to combat them.
chewing gum supports the mouth moist, stimulates salivation, thereby helping to compensate for the negative effect of acid on the tooth enamel after eating. In parallel, the teeth are cleaned by mechanically "attaching" food residues to the elastic band. They just stick to it, and in fact such residues are one of the main causes of caries, which eventually destroys the protective surface of the tooth. We must not forget about the fresh breath. Chewing gum is refreshing - this is certain. True, this process is limited in time.
We must be careful in choosing chewing gum for our children, so as not to harm them. The children's teeth are particularly badly affected by sugar (sometimes it can be observed darkening and even decay of the milk teeth, which can eventually lead to serious problems with permanent teeth). It would be helpful if the chewing gum we buy for children does not contain sugar and is enriched with fluoride and xylitol. It is xylitol that effectively prevents the formation of plaque and caries. its use for teeth is difficult to overestimate.
It is important to remember that no chewing gum can replace brushing teeth and toothpaste - its benefits and harm can cause controversy, but one thing is undeniable - you need to brush your teeth in any case. Carrots and apples, in turn, are less useful in this regard.
Stabilization of immunity in the oral cavity
Unpleasant odor, of course, is not the most pleasant thing that can happen to us. But, fortunately, mint chewing gum effectively fights this problem, neutralizing and halving the smell from the mouth. It would be useful, however, if the chewing gum contained lactic acid bacteria, caring for the balance of existing bacteria in the oral cavity. Such elastic bands already exist and are very popular in some countries. In addition, some chewing gum are enriched with aluminum lactate, which significantly reduces bleeding from the gums and reduces inflammation. This special therapeutic chewing gum - its benefits for people suffering from periodontal disease, evaluated and confirmed by specialists.
Blockage of acid entering the esophagus
This is a fact - the chewing gum has a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Due to the fact that in the process of chewing the production of saliva increases significantly, it is swallowed much more. Saliva erodes aggressive acid and causes a swallowing reflex to prevent its reverse movement from the stomach into the esophagus. Researchers at King's College in London found that those who chewed chewing gum regularly for half an hour after ingestion not only protected teeth from tooth decay, but also effectively prevented the return of food and acid to the esophagus. So you can consider chewing gum an official means to combat heartburn.
Protection against otitis media of the middle ear
Such otitis is a "privilege", usually of young children, who often suffer from painful bacterial infections. But scientists from the Finnish university found that ear infection can be easily prevented if chewing gum without sugar and with xylitol. He can successfully cope not only with tooth decay and bacteria contained in the oral cavity, but also with pneumococci, which cause inflammation of the middle ear.
Reducing calorie intake
American researchers concluded that a sugar-free chewing gum can benefit weight control by reducing calorie intake. The study involved 35 healthy men and women who had to chew the chewing gum for 20 minutes before breakfast, and then two more times before lunch. The results showed that all participants ate 67% less calories with dinner than they usually did before. And, these calories were not burned for a day, but transformed into clean energy - so the whole body received 5% more energy. Scientists believe this discovery can be successfully used to combat obesity.
Increased ability to learn
A professor at a German university came to the conclusion that chewing movements are akin to the processes of memory reproduction in the brain at high speed. This is due to the fact that the brain is better blood supply and gray cells get more oxygen when the jaws are working. The study, which was carried out by children from several schools, showed that concentration, receptivity and ability to memorize is increased by 20% if chewing gum.
In another study, scientists have proven that chewing gum improves the productivity of mathematical activity. In the experiment, 108 pupils from 13 to 16 years old, who chewed gum in mathematics lessons, took part. 14 weeks later, test results showed that those who chewed gum showed 3% higher results than the rest. In addition, the experimenters noticed that "chewing" children need less time for rest and they are less exposed to stress.
Prevention of accidents
Very often, while sitting at the wheel for a long time, the driver gets tired due to a significant reduction in its concentration. The statistics speak eloquently: every fourth accident is due to fatigue, inattention, or a short-term loss of concentration of the driver. And if you get drunk before the long journey of coffee - will it be useful in this regard? Spanish scientists from the University of Zaragoza found another, more acceptable and very tasty way out - chewing while chewing gum. It, in addition to refreshing the breath, keeps the brain constantly active, thus increasing concentration and the ability to react quickly. For example, during the Korean War, American troops were equipped with a special chewing gum in order to be as concentrated as possible.
Helping Diabetics
Today, millions of people suffer from diabetes and are forced to supply their body with insulin every day to survive. Hence the question: "Why is not insulin supplied as a pill?" And the answer, unfortunately, is not in favor of insulin-dependent people for the simple reason that insulin is destroyed instantly in the gastrointestinal tract. Robert Dale, a chemist at the University of Syracuse, has applied for a patent for a chewing gum that fights against diabetes. His idea is that in his special chewing gum vitamin B12 binds to the protein contained in the saliva. This protein has the ability to prevent vitamin degradation. The scientist associated insulin with vitamin B12, and also conducted experiments in mice that showed that this can actually deliver insulin to the blood. Scientists say that this chewing gum is especially suitable for people with diabetes and this invention has a great future.