A lot of people buy gums and consume them to get a small dose of sugar, get rid of bad breath smell, or as a means of entertainment. You might think that chewing gums are just a waste of time and money when it comes to health benefits. However, this is not true as you will be surprised by the benefits of chewing gum especially for your brain. Let us discover them in this article.
1- IMPROVES MEMORY
Chewing gum is good for improving your memory, reducing stress levels, increasing focus, alertness, and concentration. The act of moving your jaw and the nonstop chewing improves our memory. This is true because chewing creates activity in the area of our brain that is important for memory which is known as the hippocampus, and which is responsible for concentration and reaction.
2- REDUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY
Psychiatrists and psychologists believe that chewing gum reduces tension and helps to release negative energy. In some studies, teachers encouraged students to chew during tests to help increase alertness and concentration. Students who chewed gum had lower anxiety levels than those who did not chew during the test. They also scored lower fatigue levels. Also, they found that the rhythmic motion of chewing gum has a stress-reducing effect because it relaxes and satisfies the person. Gum chewing is calming for most people, as it can reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
3- HELPS TO MANAGE WEIGHT
Gums are low in calories, and sugar-free chewing gum is proved to help adults eat less as the physical activity helps reducing cravings of high calories snacks. Furthermore, chewing gum can burn 11 calories per hour.
4- HELPS SMOKERS QUIT THEIR CIGARETTES
Chewing gum can make you forget to smoke if you’re a smoker and addicted to, it is not a magic bullet to quit smoking but some products that are designed to make you smoke less, are produced in the form of gum.
5- HELPS PREVENT NAIL BITING
Once you put gum in your mouth, you may get distracted by it and continue chewing it until you forget to eat other things, such as your nails.
6- PROTECTS TEETH
Sugar-free chewing gum can kill 100 million bacteria in 10minutes, it can prevent tooth decay and gingivitis. It is recommended to chew sugar-free gums for around 20 minutes after meals, it’s been proven to reduce plaque, promote tooth enamel, and reduce cavities. Chewing gum may brighten your smile a bit; as due to the increased saliva, staining foods are more easily cleaned from the mouth.
7- IMPROVES BREATH
When you want to get rid of bad mouth breath, pick the best breath-freshening gum with the best flavor, as it fights bacteria that cause bad breath.
8- IT BURNS FACE FAT
When fat accumulates on the neck, a double chin could appear. Chewing gums makes your whole mouth move, burning the fat in that area and the face will slowly begin to slim.