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People often to resort to chewing gum when they’re hungry, stressed or just looking for something sweet. After all, a stick of gum will only give you less than 5 calories so what’s not to like about that?
Unfortunately, this seemingly harmless habit of popping a stick of gum presents tons of unwelcome side effects that may make you change your mind about it.
Here are some of the negative consequences of chewing gum.
1. It can make you prone to infections.
Titanium dioxide or E171, a popular food additive used in chewing gums, prevents some nutrients from being absorbed and allows harmful bacteria to enter the digestive system. Long-term exposure to this food additive weakens intestines leaving the body more prone to infections.
2. You’ll dig more junk food and consume less fruit.
While chewing gum is believed to reduce hunger and make you eat less, a recent study has shown that chewing mint-flavored gum actually increases the probability of consuming junk food and decreases the likelihood of eating healthy food such as fruits. Researchers think that the mint flavor of the gum gives fruits and vegetables a bitter flavor.
3. It can trigger a joint disorder.
When you regularly chew gum, you tend to overuse some muscles and joints that can lead to pain problems. This is the exact reason why some gum chewers end up experiencing symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Sufferers experience contracted muscles of the head, neck and jaw that can lead to headaches, toothaches and earaches.
4. It can make you develop a GI disorder.
Health experts have linked chewing gum to irritable bowel syndrome, a GI disorder that is characterised by change in bowel habits, abdominal pain and cramping. This is because excess air can be swallowed while chewing gum, which contributes to bloating and abdominal pain.
5. It can make your teeth rot.
Chewing sugar sweetened gum can be a source of tooth decay as it bathes your teeth in sugar.
