To Chew or not to Chew?

1. STIMULATING THE PRODUCTION OF SALIVA

Chewing stimulates the salivary glands, which increases saliva flow. Saliva is important because it helps neutralize acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, aids in digestion, and helps wash away food particles and bacteria.

Where is there is a presence of dry mouth or xerostomia, there are several strategies you can use to stimulate salivary production such as:

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Sipping water regularly can help keep your mouth moist.
• Chew Sugar-Free Gum: Chewing gum stimulates saliva production. Opt for sugar-free gum to avoid potential harm to your teeth.  Examples would include gums that contain xylitol.
• Suck on Sugar-Free Lozenges: Like gum, sugar-free lozenges can help increase saliva flow. They also come in various flavors that can make your mouth feel more comfortable.
• Use Saliva Substitutes: Over-the-counter saliva substitutes or mouth rinses can help provide temporary relief. These products are designed to mimic natural saliva and can be particularly useful during the night.  Examples of these are brands such as Biotene, Mouth Kote, Xylimelts/XyliGel, GC Dry Mouth Gel.
• Practice Good Oral Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and use fluoride toothpaste. Keeping your mouth clean can help minimize the discomfort of dry mouth.
• Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol: Both caffeine and alcohol can contribute to dehydration, which can worsen dry mouth. Limiting these can help maintain saliva levels.
• Use a Humidifier: Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier, especially while you sleep, can help keep your mouth from becoming too dry.
• Incorporate Moist Foods: Eat foods that are easier to chew and swallow, such as soups, stews, and yogurts, which can help keep your mouth moist.
• Consider Prescription Medications: If dry mouth is severe or persistent, consult your healthcare provider. There are prescription medications and treatments available that can help stimulate saliva production.
• Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol: Smoking and drinking alcohol can exacerbate dry mouth, so avoiding these can help improve your symptoms.

2. STRENGTHENING TEETH AND SURROUNDING STRUCTURE

The act of chewing exerts pressure on the teeth and gums, which helps to keep them strong and healthy. It can help maintain gum tissue and promote a healthy bite by exercising the muscles around the mouth and jaw.  Chewing can do this through several mechanisms such as:

• Exercise for Jaw Muscles: Chewing involves the muscles of the jaw, including the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles. Regular chewing helps keep these muscles toned and supports the overall function and alignment of the jaw.
• Stimulates Gum Tissue: The act of chewing stimulates the gum tissues, which helps maintain their health and resilience. This stimulation encourages blood flow to the gums, which can promote healing and prevent gum disease.
• Promotes Tooth Strength: When you chew, the pressure applied to your teeth helps to stimulate the underlying bone, keeping it dense and strong. This process is known as “bone remodeling” and is crucial for maintaining the health and stability of your teeth.
• Encourages Saliva Production: Chewing increases saliva flow, which has several benefits. Saliva helps to neutralize acids that can erode tooth enamel, wash away food particles and bacteria, and provide essential minerals to strengthen tooth enamel.
• Cleans Teeth: The mechanical action of chewing, especially with fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables, helps to dislodge food particles and plaque from the surfaces of the teeth. This natural cleaning action can help reduce the risk of plaque buildup and cavities.
• Helps Maintain Proper Bite Alignment: Regular chewing can help maintain a proper bite alignment by keeping the teeth in their correct positions. This helps prevent issues such as malocclusion (improper bite) and can contribute to overall oral health.

3. THE CLEANSING EFFECT

Chewing, especially when done with fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables, helps clean teeth by dislodging food particles and plaque. This mechanical action reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.  Chewing has a natural cleansing effect by:

• Mechanically Removing Food Particles: As you chew, the action of grinding and breaking down food helps dislodge particles stuck between your teeth and along the gum line. This reduces the amount of debris in your mouth, which can otherwise contribute to plaque buildup and bad breath.
• Stimulating Salivary Flow: Chewing stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva. Saliva acts as a natural cleanser by flushing away food particles, bacteria, and other debris from the mouth. Increased saliva flow also helps to dilute and wash away acids and other substances that can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.
• A Natural Abrasive Action: The texture of certain foods, especially fibrous ones like raw fruits and vegetables, provides a natural abrasive action. This helps to gently scrub the surfaces of your teeth, aiding in the removal of plaque and food particles.
• Neutralizing Acids: Saliva produced during chewing helps to neutralize acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. These acids can erode tooth enamel and contribute to cavities, so neutralizing them is an important part of maintaining oral health.
• Encouraging Gum Health: The act of chewing stimulates the gums, promoting blood flow and helping to keep gum tissue healthy. Healthy gums are less prone to infection and inflammation, which supports overall oral cleanliness.  For more information on dental hygiene therapy, please click here.

4. PROMOTING PROPER DIGESTION

Chewing breaks down food into smaller pieces, which helps in the initial stages of digestion. Properly chewed food is easier for the digestive system to process, which can have indirect benefits for overall oral health as well.  Chewing promotes proper digestion by:

• Breaking Down Food into Smaller Pieces: Chewing mechanically breaks food into smaller particles, increasing its surface area. This makes it easier for digestive enzymes to act on the food and enhances the efficiency of the digestion process in the stomach and intestines.
• Mixing Food with Saliva: During chewing, food is mixed with saliva, which contains enzymes like amylase. Amylase begins the digestion of carbohydrates in the mouth, breaking them down into simpler sugars. This preliminary digestion makes it easier for the stomach and intestines to process the food further.
• Initiating the Digestive Process: The act of chewing triggers the release of digestive enzymes and gastric juices in the stomach. This process, known as the cephalic phase of digestion, prepares the digestive system to receive and break down food more effectively.
• Stimulating Proper Saliva Production: Chewing stimulates the salivary glands to produce saliva, which not only aids in the digestion of carbohydrates but also helps to lubricate food, making it easier to swallow and pass through the esophagus.
• Promoting Thorough Mixing: Chewing thoroughly mixes food with saliva, creating a bolus (a soft, rounded mass of chewed food). This bolus is easier to swallow and move through the esophagus, reducing the risk of choking and ensuring that food reaches the stomach in a manageable form.
• Encouraging Proper Swallowing: Chewing helps regulate the swallowing process. When food is properly chewed and mixed with saliva, it becomes easier to swallow and transport to the stomach, where further digestion and nutrient absorption occur.
• Supporting Nutrient Absorption: By breaking down food into smaller particles and mixing it with digestive enzymes, chewing helps maximize nutrient absorption in the intestines. Smaller food particles are more easily broken down by digestive enzymes, allowing nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently.

5. MAINTAINING JAW FUNCTION

Regular chewing exercises the jaw muscles and helps maintain proper jaw alignment. This can prevent issues like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and help ensure that the bite stays healthy.  Chewing plays an important role in maintaining jaw function by:

• Exercising Jaw Muscles: Chewing engages various muscles in the jaw, including the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles. Regular chewing helps keep these muscles strong and functional, which is crucial for maintaining proper jaw movement and overall jaw health.
• Promoting Joint Health: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge connecting the jawbone to the skull. Chewing helps maintain the health and function of the TMJ by ensuring that it is used regularly and correctly. This can help prevent or alleviate TMJ disorders and other related issues.
• Supporting Bone Density: The pressure exerted on the jawbone during chewing helps stimulate bone remodeling. This process involves the maintenance and strengthening of the bone, which helps to support the teeth and keep the jawbone dense and healthy.
• Preventing Malocclusion: Regular chewing helps maintain proper alignment of the teeth and the bite. Chewing evenly on both sides of the mouth helps ensure that the teeth wear down uniformly and that the bite remains balanced, reducing the risk of malocclusion (improper bite).
• Encouraging Proper Dental Alignment: Chewing can contribute to the alignment of the teeth and overall dental occlusion. It helps in the natural adjustment of teeth positioning and maintains the functional harmony of the bite.  For more information on straightening your teeth with Invisalign, click here.
• Facilitating Jaw Movement: Chewing promotes the smooth and coordinated movement of the jaw. This function is essential for daily activities such as eating, speaking, and facial expressions.
• Preventing Jaw Stiffness: Regular chewing helps prevent stiffness and discomfort in the jaw. If you don’t chew regularly, the jaw muscles and joints can become less flexible and more prone to stiffness or discomfort.

Overall, chewing plays a significant role in maintaining oral health by supporting the mechanical and chemical processes that keep your mouth and teeth in good condition.  As your Scarborough Dental Centre, we want to ensure that we educate you on the important aspects of why chewing is important.  The what, why and how is significant because it’s an automatic process.  Also knowing whether or not you may have an underlying condition that can benefit from more chewing (eg. the use of gum or the avoidance of certain foods) is important.  If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our dental team at (416) 291-3117 today!