14 Feb Can Sugar-Free Gum Save Both Money and Teeth?
While we love to see our patients for their biannual cleanings, it’s the goal of every dentist to only have the need to see his or her patients twice a year! Dental decay is extremely common despite the fact that it is preventable with diligent daily at-home care and a thorough cleaning from your dentist in Prescott every 6 months. That fact is exemplified by a new study out of Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry published in the British Dental Journal. The study found that the use of sugar-free gum could save about $11 million or around 364,000 dental check-ups if all 12 year old across the UK chewed the gum after eating or drinking. This is due to sugar-free gum’s ability to help preemptively fight tooth decay.
In the UK, despite the fact that tooth decay is preventable, young people experience unacceptably high levels of tooth decay according to government figures. Thirty-five percent of 12 year olds report being too embarrassed to laugh or smile because of the condition of their teeth. While brushing twice daily and flossing once a day are still recommended to preserve dental health in children and adults, the addition of chewing a piece of sugar-free gum during the day can do a lot of good.
Sugar-free gum is useful for breaking down food fragments lodged in your teeth or gums and neutralizing acids that cause plaque and eventual tooth decay. The mechanism that makes sugar-free gum effective is it’s ability to trigger the production of saliva. Saliva helps neutralize destructive plaque acids, washes away food particles, and encourages remineralization of the enamel. Sugar-free gum’s role in oral care is recognized by major associations like the European Commission, World Dental Federation and the British Dental Health Foundation.
Remember that chewing sugar-free gum is just a great supplement to your previously recommended twice daily brushing and flossing. If you’re ready for your biannual appointment give Prescott Dentistry, your dentist in Prescott, a call today! (928) 445-1660
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (2/14/2016) theimpulsivebuy (Flickr)