One of the most often seen threats to our smiles is cavities and tooth decay. Tooth decay is instigated by acids digging away at the tooth enamel that protects your teeth. If decay finds a way to eat through your enamel and into your tooth’s root, this is called a cavity. Apart from your normal brushing and flossing habits, there are other ways to protect your teeth from cavities and tooth decay, including the formation of saliva through the use of chewing sugarless chewing gum. Sugarless gum features the following attributes:

• Chewing gum that contains loads of sugar can also create saliva, but the addition of sugar cancels out many of the incentives that the chewing gum could have. Thus, stick to sugarless gum.
• Sugarless gum can be used to improve your oral health care much the same way mouthwash can, but it cannot and should not be used as a replacement to brushing and flossing
• Saliva that is created by the continuous motions involved with chewing gum is the substance which helps keep your smile clean. Saliva can rinse away harmful plaque and neutralize acids that can cause dental erosion to your all-important tooth enamel.
• Sugarless gum is useful for cavity prevention when chewed for at least twenty minutes after a meal.

If you need additional treatment for your teeth and gums, Dr. Chi and our team at Buckland Hills Dental will help you with your oral health care in any way we can. If you would like to schedule a visit to our dentist office in Manchester, Connecticut, please call us at (860) 644-0099. Let us help you with all of your oral health care needs.