12 June 2015

If, like so many of us these days, your busy lifestyle means that your eating habits are changing from the traditional three meals a day to more snacking or grazing while you are on-the-go, then now would be a good time to include chewing sugarfree gum in your oral hygiene routine.

The definitions for the word ‘grazing’ in the dictionary now include ‘eating frequently at irregular intervals’ – not quite the same as snacking, but probably more frequent. Either way, it comes down to grabbing something to eat on-the-go when and where we can. Breakfast at the desk, a couple of mid-morning biscuits, sandwiches and crisps for lunch and an afternoon treat to keep us going, with several cups of tea or coffee in between.

The fact is that this is not good news for our teeth which come under sustained attack from the plaque acids that form on teeth and can damage the enamel whilst all this snacking and grazing is going on. Every time we eat or drink the pH balance in the mouth changes, dropping into a danger zone where tooth demineralisation can happen.

The simple and convenient step of chewing sugarfree gum for 20 minutes after eating and drinking is a great addition to twice-a-day brushing because it helps neutralise those plaque acids, wash away food particles and remineralise tooth enamel.

There is plenty of scientific research to support the oral hygiene benefits of chewing sugarfree gum, which are even more relevant now given on average we consume two or three snacks outside of meals every day. The ‘science bit’ is simple enough: chewing increases the production of saliva which helps clean the mouth and neutralise plaque acids, so it’s a non-disruptive and simple oral care habit when brushing and flossing just isn’t possible or convenient.

Extra® sugarfree gum is endorsed by the British Dental Health Foundation, with BDHF chief executive Nigel Carter saying that “Chewing sugarfree gum is a really good and convenient way of looking after your oral health whilst on the go.”

So if your lifestyle means that you are snacking and grazing more to keep you going during busy days, get the Eat, Drink, Chew habit and keep a bottle of Extra® handy on your desk or in the car to help keep your teeth clean and healthy.