Chewing Gum’s Surprising Benefits: Boosting Health Beyond Oral Care

Recent research highlights the potential health benefits of chewing gum that extend beyond oral health. The comprehensive study, titled Chewing Gum and Health: A Mapping Review and an Interactive Evidence Gap Map, published in Nutrients, reveals that chewing gum may enhance athletic performance and assist in recovery for patients. However, the study notes significant gaps in data concerning its effects on children and seniors.

Historical Context and Current Uses

The practice of chewing gum has ancient roots, dating back to the times of ancient Egypt and the Mayan civilization. The modern incarnation emerged in the 19th century with the introduction of chicle, a natural latex derived from the sapodilla tree. Today, chewing gum is a popular, flavored product that keeps the mouth moist and combats dental issues. It is known to promote salivation, reduce the severity of bad breath, and may even contain beneficial ingredients like xylitol.

Beyond oral health, chewing gum serves various purposes. Individuals attempting to quit smoking often resort to nicotine gum to manage cravings. Athletes may chew gum to improve performance, while others utilize it to alleviate anxiety, enhance alertness, and control appetite. These benefits could position chewing gum as an affordable public health tool, provided further studies validate these claims.

Research Findings and Implications

The study examined 260 individual research pieces, including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. Among these, 155 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), alongside 36 non-RCTs and 65 reviews or meta-analyses. Researchers sourced data from five databases, focusing on the type of gum, outcomes, and study methodology.

Geographically, most research originated from the USA (34 studies), followed by China (32), the UK (26), and Turkey (26). The majority of studies were published between 2015 and 2025, with a notable 38 published in 2024 alone. The authors acknowledged that the 2025 publication data is still incomplete, covering only up to July 20.

The findings of the review revealed three primary applications of chewing gum: enhancing well-being and performance, serving as a medical aid, and aiding specific surgical procedures. Notably, caffeinated chewing gum was linked to improved athletic performance, with studies suggesting it reduces fatigue and enhances endurance.

In the medical field, chewing gum has been recognized for its role in smoking cessation, particularly with nicotine-containing varieties. Of the 40 studies exploring this application, 14 focused on nicotine gum’s effectiveness in helping individuals quit smoking. The findings indicate that this form of gum encourages adherence to long-term cessation strategies.

Additionally, chewing gum may help manage thirst for patients with restricted fluid intake, such as those undergoing hemodialysis. Its use has been explored for comfort during childbirth, regulating glucose levels in pregnant women with diabetes, and alleviating pain. Other studies addressed cognitive functions in conditions like Alzheimer’s and attention disorders such as ADHD.

Another significant aspect of the research was the confirmation of chewing gum’s benefits following surgical procedures. Reports indicated that gum chewing could enhance gastric visualization during endoscopy, improve recovery times, and reduce rates of nausea and vomiting post-surgery. This suggests that chewing gum could serve as a cost-effective method to shorten hospital stays, particularly after abdominal surgeries.

Despite these findings, the review highlighted notable gaps in research, especially concerning children and older adults. Only 12 studies focused on children, primarily in surgical contexts, with no research addressing its role in overall well-being. Similarly, just four studies investigated the effects of chewing gum on older adults, limited to memory and post-operative recovery.

In conclusion, while chewing gum shows promise in enhancing health and performance, especially in adults, further research is essential to understand its full range of benefits across all age groups. The current evidence calls for well-designed studies to explore how chewing gum can improve health outcomes for children and older adults alike.

For additional details, the full study can be accessed through Nutrients at doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172749.