Over the last thirty years our diet has changed dramatically to include many more processed foods, snacks and soft drinks. Many of these contain a high proportion of sugars, salt and fat. Children naturally enjoy sweet tasting things and frequently snack on sweets, biscuits, crisps, fizzy and sugary drinks in between meals. As a result, these constant food challenges generate plaque acid in the mouth, which can be dangerous to their teeth.

However, the latest clinical research shows a dramatic reduction in the incidence of dental caries among children who chewed sugarfree gum, such as EXTRA, after meals.

The 2-year study¹, conducted in Hungary, compared children who chewed sugarfree gum daily after meals with those who did not. The results were remarkable, showing a reduction of up to 40% in the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in those children who had chewed sugarfree chewing gum for 20 minutes after every meal.

The action of chewing gum stimulates salivary flow, which washes out acids. Most importantly, saliva contains bicarbonate, a buffer, which neutralises the plaque acids formed after snacks and meals, so helping to prevent the development of caries.

Remember to recommend chewing EXTRA sugarfree gum to all your patients for 20 minutes after meals and snacks.

Reference

1. Szöke J, Bánóczy J Proskin HM (2001) Effect of after-meal sucrose-free gum-chewing Reversing tooth decay