Chewing Gum, What does it made of ?

 What is chewing gum?

Girl above is blowing a bubble by chewing gum

Chewing gum in various forms has been around since ancient times.  The Greeks chewed sap from the mastic tree, called mastiche.  On the other side of the world, the ancient Mayans favored the sap of the sapodilla tree (called tsiclte).  Native Americans from New England chewed spruce sap—a habit they passed on to European settlers.  Today, the base used for most gum products is a blend of synthetic materials (elastomeres, resins and waxes in various proportions).  However, chewing gum is as popular as ever. Gum bases (either natural or artificial) are mixed with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. When you chew it, the rubber releases these flavorings into your mouth. ­Gums are mostly used for tooth decay.
                         Flavors also include blue raspberry, strawberry, apple, cherry, watermelon, cinnamon, banana, peppermint,cotton candy and grape of which strawberry and banana can be achieved with ethyl methylphenylglycidate and isoamyl acetate limonene, respectively. Malic acid can be used for apple flavor, allyl hexanoate for pineapple, ethyl propionate for fruit punch, cinnamic aldehyde for cinnamon and acetophenone for cherry. More unusual ones like berry, cola, lemon lime, peach, tropical fruit, pineapple, orange fruit punch, and even more wild ones such as bacon, or popcorn can be found as well. They usually can only be found in special shops and the flavor is almost always cheap and artificial, as natural flavors are more expensive. People loves to chew gum especially the kids.

       Consumers may be used to thinking about chewing gum as a kind of candy, but this category of the ADA Seal recognizes chewing gum that has demonstrated scientifically that it can protect the teeth.  For an informative article on the history of chewing gum.http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/85/8532sci2.html

What does chewing gum do?

The physical act of chewing increases the flow of saliva in your mouth.  If you chew after eating, the increased salivary flow can help neutralize and wash away the acids that are produced when food is broken down by the bacteria in plaque on your teeth.  Over time, acid can break down tooth enamel, creating the conditions for decay.  Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel. Clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay. 

In the future, look for chewing gum that delivers a variety of therapeutic agents that could provide additional benefits to those provided by the ability of gum to mechanically stimulate saliva flow. For instance, some gum might contain active agents that could enhance the gum’s ability to remineralize teeth and reduce decay, or enable gum to help reduce plaque and gingivitis.

Source: American dental association

Does chewing gum replace brushing and flossing?

No, chewing gum is an adjunct to brushing and flossing, but not a substitute for either. 

 

How is it made?

(This video clearly explains the manufacturing of chewing gum in large quantities)

Chewing gum typically consists of:

• Gum base
• Artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame, sorbitol or mannitol)
• Softeners (glycerin or other vegetable oil products)
• Flavorings and colorings

The process for making chewing gum has six basic steps:

The process of making gum 

• Gum base ingredients are melted together
• Other ingredients are added until the warm mix thickens like dough
• Machines called extruders are used to blend, smooth and form the gum
• The gum is shaped (flattened or molded into tablet shapes and coated)
• The gum is cooled for up to 48 hours in a temperature controlled room
• The gum is packaged.

Source: National Association of Chewing Gum Manufacturers.

Top selling chewing gum brands in market 

These chewing gums are best selling in the market which are approved by dental associaton:

• Wrigley's Extra Sugarfree Gum
• Dentyne Ice Sugarless Gum
• Mentos sugarfree Gum
• Trident® Sugarfree Gum