Some studies show that chewing gum can have an indirect positive effect on your teeth. Gum can stimulate production of saliva and increase salivary flow. Saliva is a natural buffering agent which washes the teeth and neutralizes some of the acid produced by bacteria. It is the acid which erodes enamel and eventually causes cavities. Also, some people do not produce sufficient saliva. One study showed that after chewing gum for 10 minutes each waking hour for two weeks, participants increased their salivary flow to a functional level and increased salivary pH and buffering capacity.On the other hand, gum typically contains some type of sweetener. Brands of gum containing sugar can be harmful to your teeth if these types of gum are chewed too often or are removed from the mouth too soon. In fact, studies have shown that if a person chews gum containing sugar, it should be chewed for at least 15 to 20 minutes. After this time, the sugar is gone, but the saliva is sufficiently stimulated to rinse away some of the sugar residue.
