By Nova M Bajamonti for Dailymail.Com
21:02 November 10, 2023, updated 21:02 November 10, 2023
- Texas dentist Dr. Ellie Phillips shared her tips on how to chew gum safely.
- Dentist with four decades of experience thinks xylitol gum will do the trick
- Xylitol gum helps produce more saliva, which mineralizes teeth and heals gums.
A dentist has explained how to enjoy the addictive habit of chewing gum without damaging your teeth.
Dr. Ellie Phillis, a Texas-based dentist, detailed in a recent TikTok video what you should avoid to enjoy gum without the guilt.
Ellie, who has been in her field for four decades, advises people to avoid sorbitol and opt for 100% xylitol gum instead.
She explained in her insightful clip, titled: “How to Enjoy Gum the Healthy Way,” that xylitol gum had benefits such as its hygroscopic property, which helped your mouth produce more saliva, “mineralizing your teeth.” and “helping your mouth produce more saliva.” the gums heal.
Mineralization is the process of repairing the enamel on your teeth. Using fluoridated mouthwashes and toothpastes can help strengthen your enamel.
The dentist began her clip by saying: “If you love chewing gum, here’s how to do it the healthiest way. »
She then introduced herself with a smile, “Hello, I’m Dr. Ellie and I’m here to help you avoid unnecessary dental treatment.”
She immediately followed his advice.
“It’s best to look for sugar-free gum, but be careful not to look for gum sweetened with sorbitol,” Ellie said.
“Sorbitol may actually feed the bacteria that appears to be responsible for acid reflux symptoms.”
“So if you have acid reflux and you’re chewing a lot of sorbitol gum, I would switch immediately and what I would recommend that everyone use is 100% xylitol gum and there are many brands different and they ‘they’re all pretty good.’
Ellie then offered her personal perspective on the gum’s components, saying, “I would prefer one without glycerin if you’re looking for another ingredient to avoid, especially if you’re trying to mineralize your teeth.”
“It seems that glycerin interferes with the mineralization process, so it’s probably not a problem if you don’t have bad teeth, but look for 100% xylitol gum. It’s the first thing to do.
She then answered a question she said was “asked all the time”: “When you have your 100% xylitol gum, how long should you chew it for?”
“To understand the answer, you need to know that xylitol actually works to help you by stimulating.”
Ellie explained: “It has hygroscopic properties.
“That means it draws saliva into your mouth. So when you chew this gum, the first thing that happens is you get a stream of saliva into your mouth.”
“And that happens in the first two minutes…the first two to five minutes.
“You’ll feel the saliva in your mouth and it’s great.
“This saliva will mineralize your teeth…help your gums heal.” That’s wonderful.
“The problem is if you keep chewing, chewing, chewing, if you go past 15 minutes.
“You will change the type of saliva in your mouth.”
Ellie then moved her hands in a circular motion around her jaw muscles and said, “As you chew, these muscles here on the side of your cheeks stimulate the parotid salivary gland.”
“This is the gland here,” she said, pointing to his cheeks.
“And it’s a gland designed to produce digestive saliva with a completely different composition.”
Ellie added that she wasn’t sure if having digestive saliva for hours on end was “so good for stomach health.”
“So I recommend you get some xylitol gum, 100% xylitol,” she recommended once again confidently.
“Chew and enjoy it for the first two to 15 minutes, then dispose of it appropriately.”
Ellie’s video has been viewed over 13,000 times and her followers are thanking her for her ideas.
One person wrote: “I use Spry Xylitol gum and I have noticed such a difference, my teeth are much whiter. But I need to check for glycerin, now that I know.
“Thank you for this valuable information,” added another.
A third person chimed in, writing: “Take the xylitol gum…Now I know how long I’ll chew it, Ty (thanks).”
“Do you suggest oral probiotics,” asked a curious commenter, to which Ellie replied: “Only as a last resort – unless you provide them with a healthy mouth, adding oral bacteria won’t change the situation .”
Ellie isn’t the only dentist who strongly recommends using xylitol gum.
Dr. Khaled Kasem, chief orthodontist and co-founder of Impress in Barcelona, suggested xylitol because it is a natural sweetener.
He even went so far as to call it “the best.”
As an added bonus, xylitol gum also prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and the onset of cavities, according to the Journal of Natural Science.
In addition to learning which gum to chew, Ellie’s TikTok account is full of helpful videos that include information on tooth sensitivity, plaque buildup, and much more.