USA is one of the 3 countries that has the highest rates of consumption chewing gum worldwide. Americans, mainly chew gum because they like the flavor. Some chew it to relieve stress and some to reduce their food craving. If you’re a chewing gum fan, we have to tell you that you need to get rid of this habit. There are many reasons why chewing gum belongs in the trash can and not in your mouths.
Here are the 5 disturbing side effects of chewing gum:
1. It can trigger Temporamandibular Joint Disorder- TMJ in your jaw
It can cause jaw muscle imbalance and a painful chronic disease called TMJ. The more you chew, the more you overuse the muscles and that leads to pain and contracted muscles. You might also end up with earache, headache and toothache.
2. Gastrointestinal problems
When you chew gum, you swallow excess air and that can cause bloating and abdominal pain. The moment you start chewing your gum, your body gets a signal that food is about to enter and it starts releasing acids and enzymes. Your stomach will produce acids but there will be no food to digest. This will cause you to bloat and you might end up with diarrhea.
3. Tooth damage
Even sugar-free gums can cause damage to your teeth. Sugar-free gums contain acidic flavorings, which can cause dental erosion. Dental erosion is actually a process of incremental decalcification which will cause your teeth to dissolve.
4. Sheep byproducts
Gums also contain lanolin which is a waxy substance made from sheep wool. This substance is not health hazardous but it’s not very appetizing.
5. Release mercury from your fillings
For people that have mercury fillings- chewing gum can cause a neurotoxin release from the fillings.
A study has shown -“… chewing gum has been shown to increase the release rate of mercury vapor from dental amalgam fillings… The impact of excessive chewing on mercury levels was considerable.”
Anytime you chew a gum, mercury vapor gets released and it gets inside your bloodstream.