5 The impact of eating chewing gum is detrimental to health & bull; hello healthy

Do you like to eat chewing gum? Maybe your pocket or bag already has gum available so you can chew it any time. Chewing gum is popular because it tastes fresh and can help control appetite. There are also those who say chewing gum can make the mind more focused and awake. However, behind the deliciousness, there are various effects of eating chewing gum that you may not know about. Check out what are the side effects of chewing the following gum.

1. Eat more often junk food

Many people deliberately eat chewing gum so they don't get hungry and don't want to keep snacking. However, according to a study by the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences in the United States, those of you who often eat chewing gum will reduce your consumption of nutritious foods. You just get more and more eager to eat junk food such as fried foods, potato chips, or meatballs.

This is because usually the mint flavor and fruits contained in chewing gum make vegetables and fruits taste bitter. You also want food that tastes strong and savory like junk food.

2. Trigger jaw joint disorders

If you usually chew gum on one side of your mouth, you are at risk of developing an imbalanced and one-sided jaw muscle. Meanwhile, if you have eaten chewing gum for years, you are prone to experiencing jaw joint disorders. Jaw joint disorders occur when you force a series of muscles and joints to work continuously. Symptoms of this disorder include headaches, jaw pain, ear pain, and toothache.

3. Diarrhea

Be careful if you have frequent diarrhea. Diarrhea can be one of the effects of eating chewing gum too often. A laboratory study in Germany published in the British Medical Journal revealed that chewing gum, even the sugar-free kind, contains an artificial sweetener known as sorbitol. If you take this artificial sweetener in high doses, it has the same effect on the body as a laxative. You also run the risk of experiencing diarrhea and dehydration.

In a case reported by the UK government's NHS health website, a man who ate 20 pieces of gum every day had prolonged diarrhea. He has to commute to the bathroom 10 times a day a year. A similar case also involved a 21-year-old woman who chewed 16 gummies a day. Within 8 months, he had to commute to the bathroom 12 times a day.

4. Indigestion

Apart from diarrhea, the effects of eating chewing gum on digestion are flatulence, stomach upset, and excessive stomach acid production. The stomach becomes bloated because when you eat chewing gum you unconsciously swallow a lot of incoming air.

Eating chewing gum can also fool your digestive system. The digestive system suspects that you are going to eat something, so the stomach produces acidic enzymes to break down food. In reality, you eat nothing but chewing gum. As a result, the stomach becomes too acidic. When you finally do eat something, the enzymes will no longer be produced, so the food that comes in can't be digested and broken down. This is at risk of causing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

5. Damaging teeth

In chewing gum, there are preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial acids that can damage teeth. Even if you choose sugar-free gum, there are harsh chemicals in it. Too often eating gum is tantamount to wrapping your teeth with these harmful chemicals. Your teeth also become brittle and damaged more quickly.