Clean your teeth with bubblegum

Plaque is a sticky bacterial film attached to enamel and gum margins. Chewing gum has no bristles to disrupt that film, and sugary gum supplies fermentable carbohydrate that oral bacteria can convert into acids. Brush with fluoride toothpaste and clean between teeth with floss or an interdental brush. If chewing gum, choose a sugar-free product and use it only as an adjunct when brushing is not immediately available, not as a replacement.

Brush with fluoride toothpaste and clean between teeth with floss or an interdental brush. If chewing gum, choose a sugar-free product and use it only as an adjunct when brushing is not immediately available, not as a replacement. Can sugar-free gum replace brushing? No. It may stimulate saliva, but it does not clean all tooth surfaces or deliver the mechanical plaque removal of brushing.

See a dentist for persistent bad breath, bleeding gums, toothache, sensitivity, or visible deposits, because gum or tooth disease needs examination and treatment rather than more chewing gum. Why is sugary gum a problem? Sugar can be used by plaque bacteria to produce acids that contribute to enamel demineralization and tooth decay.

Can sugar-free gum replace brushing? No. It may stimulate saliva, but it does not clean all tooth surfaces or deliver the mechanical plaque removal of brushing. Why is sugary gum a problem? Sugar can be used by plaque bacteria to produce acids that contribute to enamel demineralization and tooth decay.