Is chewing gum bad for my teeth?
Chewing gum is ok as long as it is sugar free. Research has shown that chewing gum can prevent tooth decay in two ways. It helps stimulate salivary flow and helps to neutralise plaque acid. Moreover it has been found that gum containing the sweetener, xylitol, such as Wrigley’s Extra prevents bacteria from growing in plaque.
The only case where I would suggest no gum are young children that might choke on the wad of gum. I would also suggest a teenager who has bad TMJ problems to lay off the constant chewing of gum so as not to aggravate the problem.