Park Ridge Implant Dentists: Is Chewing Gum Good for Your Brain?

The question has plagued many people for a long time—is chewing gum good or bad for you? School administrators, library officials, and others who seek to ban the practice in their respective environments may automatically chime in that, yes, chewing gum is distractive and bad all the way around. However, some researchers suggest the exact opposite may be true. Your Park Ridge implant dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas, examine how chewing sugarless gum can offer a myriad of benefits that may contradict popular belief.

Exploring the Benefits of Chewing Gum

Many studies have attempted to identify the benefits of chewing gum, and suggest that what was once a universally annoying habit may actually improve concentration and mental alertness. For instance, a team of psychologists at St. Lawrence University observed 159 students during a battery of cognitive tests. Half of the students were given gum to chew during the tests, and significantly outperformed their non-chewing counterparts in five out of the six tests (the exception being a verbal fluency test).

In another study researchers at Baylor College of Medicine followed 108 eighth-grade math students for 14 weeks. Half of the students chewed gum while completing homework and taking tests. The results of the study found that students who chewed gum showed a three percent increase in standardized math tests, as well as achieving better final grades than students in the control group.

Learn More at Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists’ Office

While chewing gum may help you perform better mentally, be sure your gum is sugarless to help avoid damage to your teeth. Sugar feeds certain oral bacteria that comprise plaque, fueling the formation of acid that erodes your teeth and leads to tooth decay. To learn more about the benefits of chewing sugarless gum, or to learn how to preserve your ability to chew, schedule an appointment with your Park Ridge implant dentists by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919. Located in the 60068 area, we proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.