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Chewing gum

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Chewing gum
File:Chewing gum.jpg
Many types of North American chewing gum
TypeConfectionery
Main ingredientsChicle or polyisobutylene
For other uses, see Chewing gum (disambiguation).

Hiya!Chewing gum is a type of gum made of chicle,Pickles, Potatoes, Soil, Wood, Coal and Milk, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene.

History

Chewing gum in various forms has existed since at least 5,000 years ago during the Neolithic period. 5,000-year-old chewing gum with tooth imprints, made of birch bark tar, has been found in Kierikki, Yli-Ii, Finland. The bark tar of which the gums were made is believed to have antiseptic properties and other medicinal advantages.[1] The ancient Aztecs used chicle as a base for making a gum-like substance. Women in particular used this gum as a mouth freshener...

Forms of chewing gums were also used in Ancient Greece. The Greeks chewed mastic gum, made from the resin of the mastic tree.[2] Many other cultures have chewed gum-like substances made from plants, grasses, and resins. The American Indians chewed resin made from the sap of spruce trees.[3] The New England settlers picked up this practice, and in 1848, John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum called The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum. Around 1850 a gum made from paraffin wax was developed and soon exceeded the spruce gum in popularity. William Semple filed an early patent on chewing gum, patent number 98,304, on December 28, 1869.[4] One of the best known companies for making chewing gum is Wrigley. Wrigley was founded by William Wrigley in 1892 in Chicago. It was known as Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum in 1906 and within four years was the bestselling gum in the U.S. and is still the largest market for gum in the world. According to Wrigley surveys, on average Americans chew up to 300 sticks per year or more and at a cost of more than $2 billion.[7] Historically, during and after World War II, the image of an American soldier chewing a piece of Wrigley's gum become an icon for the American people. Wrigley began giving troops a certain amount of their production. The chewing gum was known as a comfort to the troops during combat and was a great stress reliever and a better alternative to smoking. the troops were also able to win over the German civilians during WWII by handing children a stick of gum. Instead of being seen then as the enemy, they were seen as nice men. Throughout the years as the war ended, the American soldiers became Wrigley's advertisers and the company sold twice as much gum as they did before the war started. After the war, the youth of America began chewing gum as a sign of freedom as they learned from their troops and this stereotype of gum chewers being youth carry's into today's society.[5] Modern chewing gum was first developed in the 1860s when chicle was exported from Mexico for use as a rubber substitute. Chicle did not succeed as a replacement for rubber, but as a gum it was soon adopted and due to newly established companies such as Adams New York Chewing Gum (1871), Black Jack (1884) and “Chiclets” (1899), it soon dominated the market.[6] Synthetic gums were first introduced to the U.S. after chicle no longer satisfied the needs of making good chewing gum. The hydrocarbon polymers approved to be in chewing gum are: styrene-butadiene rubber, isobutylene, isoprene copolymer, paraffin wax, petroleum wax, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and synthetic terpene resin.[7] Chicle gum, and gum made from similar latexes, had a smoother and softer texture and held flavor better. Most chewing gum companies have since switched to synthetic gum bases because of their low price and availability.

Effects on health

Dental health

Sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol has been shown to reduce cavities and plaque.[8] The sweetener sorbitol has the same benefit, but is only about one-third as effective as xylitol.[8] Xylitol is specific in its inhibition of Streptococcus mutans, bacteria that are significant contributors to tooth decay.[9] Xylitol inhibits Streptococcus mutans in the presence of other sugars, with the exception of fructose.[10] Daily doses of xylitol below 3.44 grams are ineffective and doses above 10.32 grams show no additional benefit.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). Calcium lactate added to toothpaste has reduced calculus formation.[11] One study has shown that calcium lactate enhances enamel remineralization when added to xylitol-containing gum,[12] but another study showed no additional remineralization benefit from calcium lactate or other calcium compounds in chewing-gum.[13]

Other studies[14] indicated that the caries preventive effect of chewing sugar-free gum is related to the chewing process itself rather than being an effect of gum sweeteners or additives, such as polyols and carbamide.

Over 80% of cavities occur inside pits and fissures in chewing surfaces where food is trapped under chewing pressure and carbohydrate like sugar is changed to acid by resident plaque bacteria that brushing cannot reach.[citation needed]

A helpful way to cure halitosis, bad breath, is to chew gum. Chewing gum not only helps to add freshness to your breath but can aid in removing food particles and bacteria from your teeth that are associated with bad breath. It does this by stimulating saliva and basically washing out your mouth. Chewing gum can also help with the lack of saliva or xerostomia since it naturally stimulates saliva production.[15]

A study was done that had adults chew gum after meals to see if it caused then pain or discomfort after an orthodontic procedure or helped with keeping their bite intact. Below is the study that was done in more depth.

"Chewing gum releases stress and is a habit of many individuals before or after meals. An investigation was conducted into whether performing chewing exercises using chewing gum can increase occlusal contact area and force and move the anteroposterior occlusal balance forward. A total of 35 healthy adult volunteers chewed gum for 10 to 15 minutes before or after three meals each day for 4 weeks. An Occluzer was used before chewing exercises began, after 4 weeks of exercise, and then 1 month after the exercise period was completed. Occlusal status included total occlusal contact area (TOCA), total occlusal contact force (TOCF), and average contact pressure. The questionnaire responses revealed that 90% of the participants believed that the gum felt quite hard, although half of the respondents liked it and felt no pain or discomfort while chewing. Half of the respondents also indicated that they would be willing to continue the chewing gum exercise program.Use of this approach would be appropriate to retain the effects of therapy in patients with anterior open bite caused by downward rotation of the mandible who have already undergone active orthodontic or orthognathic treatment."[16]

Use in surgery

Several randomized controlled studies have investigated the use of chewing gum in reducing the duration of post-operative ileus following abdominal and specifically gastrointestinal surgery. These suggest gum chewing, as a form of 'sham feeding'[clarification needed], is a useful treatment therapy.[17]

Chewing gum after a colon surgery helps the patient recover sooner. If the patient chewed gum for fifteen minutes for at least four times per day it will speed up their recovery by a day and a half faster.[18] The average patient took .66 fewer days to pass gas and 1.10 fewer days to have a bowel movement.[19] Saliva flows stimulates when gum is chewed. Gum also gets the juices flowing and is consider "sham feeding".[19] Sham feeding is the role of the central nervous system in the regulation of gastric secretion.

Chewing gum help after surgery but not before surgery. All the surgeries patients cover are told not to eat anything before the surgery, which also includes chewing gum. For the reason doctors want to reduce the contents of the stomach. Chewing gum before surgery may possibly increase the risk of lung problems and pneumonia.

Stomach

Chewing gum is used as a novel approach for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). One hypothesis is that chewing gum stimulates the production of more bicarbonate-containing saliva and increases the rate of swallowing. After the saliva is swallowed, it neutralizes acid in the esophagus. In effect, chewing gum exaggerates one of the normal processes that neutralize acid in the esophagus.[20] However chewing gum is sometimes considered to contribute to the development of stomach ulcers. It stimulates the stomach to secrete acid and the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes that aren't required.[21] In some cases when consuming large quantities of gum containing sorbitol, gas and or diarrhea may occur.

Possible carcinogens

Concern has arisen about the possible carcinogenicity of the vinyl acetate (acetic acid ethenyl ester) used by some manufacturers in their gum bases. Currently the ingredient can be hidden in the catch-all term "gum base". The Canadian government at one point classified the ingredient as a "potentially high hazard substance."[22] However, on January 31, 2009, the Government of Canada's final assessment concluded that exposure to vinyl acetate is not considered to be harmful to human health.[23] This decision under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) was based on new information received during the public comment period, as well as more recent information from the risk assessment conducted by the European Union.

Swallowed gum

One old wives' tale says that swallowed gum will remain in a human's stomach for up to 7 years, as it is not digestible. According to several medical opinions, there seems to be little truth behind the tale. In most cases, swallowed gum will pass through the system as fast as any other food.[24] There have been a few cases where swallowing gum has required medical attention, but these cases are more or less related to chronic gum swallowers. One young boy swallowed several pieces each day and had to be hospitalized,[25] and another young girl required medical attention when she swallowed her gum and four coins, which got stuck together in her esophagus.[24] A bezoar is formed in the stomach when food or other foreign objects stick to gum and build up, causing intestinal blockage.[26] As long as the mass of gum is small enough to pass out of the stomach, it will likely pass out of the body easily.[citation needed]

Bans on chewing gum

See also: Chewing gum ban in Singapore

Many schools do not allow chewing gum because students often dispose of it inappropriately, or because it might carry diseases/bacteria from other students and is distracting to others in the classroom by smacking.[27]

The Singapore government outlawed chewing gum in 1992 because it was becoming a danger when wedged in the sliding doors of underground trains. However, in 2002 the government allowed sugarless gum to be sold in pharmacies if a doctor or dentist prescribed it.[28]

Disney, Universal Studios, Seaworld, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, and Busch Gardens Theme Parks have banned the selling of gum to help keep the grounds cleaner.[citation needed]

Effects on the environment

Chewing gum is commonly stuck underneath benches and tables or to the surface of sidewalks, and is difficult to remove once dried.A major problem today is discarded gum in the urban environment. In 2000, a survey was done on Oxford street, one of London’s busiest streets, and It showed that a quarter of a million blobs of gum were stuck to it. These blobs of gum stick so well to the asphalt and rubber soles of shoes because they are all made of polymeric hydrocarbons.[29]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Student dig unearths ancient gum" BBC.co.uk.
  2. ^ "History of the Chewing Gum" page of Gumballs.com.
  3. ^ "History Of Chewing Gum" page of BeemarsGum.org.
  4. ^ Patent number 98,304
  5. ^ Chewing Gum. (2005). In Germany and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abcgeamrle/chewing_gum
  6. ^ Chewing gum companies in 1860-1900
  7. ^ Emsley, J. (2004). Vanity, vitality, and virility. (pp. 189-197). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
  8. ^ a b Deshpande A, Jadad AR (2008). [-~~~~ = http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/full/139/12/1602 "The impact of polyol-containing chewing gums on dental caries: a systematic review of an original randomized controlled trials and observational studies"]. Journal of the American Dental Association. 139 (12): 1602–1614. PMID 19047666. {{cite journal}}: Check |url= value (help)
  9. ^ Milgrom P, Ly KA, Roberts MC, Rothen M, Mueller G, Yamaguchi DK (2006). "Mutans streptococci dose response to xylitol chewing gum". Journal of Dental Research. 85 (2): 177–181. doi:10.1177/154405910608500212. PMC 2225984. PMID 16434738.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Kakuta H, Iwami Y, Mayanagi H, Takahashi N (2003). "Xylitol inhibition of acid production and growth of mutans Streptococci in the presence of various dietary sugars under strictly anaerobic conditions". Caries Research. 37 (6): 404–409. doi:10.1159/000073391. PMID 14571117.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Schaeken MJ, van der Hoeven JS (1993). "Control of calculus formation by a dentifrice containing calcium lactate". Caries Research. 27 (4): 277–279. doi:10.1159/000261550. PMID 8402801.
  12. ^ Suda R, Suzuki T, Takiguchi R, Egawa K, Sano T, Hasegawa K (2006). "The effect of adding calcium lactate to xylitol chewing gum on remineralization of enamel lesions". Caries Research. 40 (1): 43–46. doi:10.1159/000088905. PMID 16352880.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Schirrmeister JF, Seger RK, Altenburger MJ, Lussi A, Hellwig E (2007). "Effects of various forms of calcium added to chewing gum on initial enamel carious lesions in situ". Caries Research. 41 (2): 108–114. doi:10.1159/000098043. PMID 17284911.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Caries preventive effect of sugar-substituted chewing gum- 3-year community intervention trial to determine the caries preventive effect of sugar-substituted chewing gum among Lithuanian school children, and to assess compliance with the instructions for gum use.
  15. ^ Emsley, J. (2004). Vanity, vitality, and virility. (pp. 189-197). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
  16. ^ (2010). Chewing gum exercises. Dental Abstracts, 55(4), 214.
  17. ^ Fitzgerald JE, Ahmed I (2009). "Systematic review and meta-analysis of chewing-gum therapy in the reduction of postoperative paralytic ileus following gastrointestinal surgery". World J Surg. 33 (12): 2557–66. doi:10.1007/s00268-009-0104-5. PMID 19763686. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. ^ [1].
  19. ^ a b [2].
  20. ^ Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
  21. ^ "Risky chewing gum, gum, gum". Janethull.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  22. ^ "Substance found in chewing gum could be labelled toxic". Canada.com. 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  23. ^ "Summary of Public Comments Received on the Government of Canada's Draft Screening Assessment Report and Risk Management Scope on Bisphenol A" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  24. ^ a b Matson, John. "Fact or Fiction?: Chewing Gum Takes Seven Years to Digest: Scientific American". Sciam.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  25. ^ O'Connor, Anahad (August 28, 2007). "The Claim: Swallowed Gum Takes a Long Time to Digest". The New York Times. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  26. ^ Babich, Jay P (2004). "Chewing Gum Bezoar". Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. p. 871.
  27. ^ "B-schools ban chewing gum on campus". indiatimes.com. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  28. ^ Emsley, J. (2004). Vanity, vitality, and virility. (pp. 189-197). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
  29. ^ Emsley, J. (2004). Vanity, vitality, and virility. (pp. 189-197). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
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