3 Reasons to Chew Happy ppl Gum for Your Oral Health

Some chewing gum is practically candy, with tons of sugar that can give you cavities, BUT not all gum is harmful! Happy ppl gum is not only plastic-free as all eff, but has amazing benefits for your oral health. Here’s the proof:

1. Fights the acid attack

After you eat, your mouth gets attacked by acid from plaque bacteria and the sugars in what you ate or drank. This can slowly kill the tooth enamel, causing cavities. But chewing sugar-free gum increases your mouth’s saliva flow, washing away lots of the bacteria and neutralizing the acids. This ultimately helps keep your tooth enamel strong and fights hard against tooth decay and cavities.

2. Contains xylitol – your mouth’s very own lifesaver

Xylitol—the natural sweetener in our gum—cannot be broken down by the bacteria in your mouth, i.e. the sugar is not rotting your teeth! PLUS, xylitol is legit clinically proven to reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in plaque - ultimately reducing cavities.

3. Gets a hard yes from dental hygienists

Lexie, RDH @lexiethetoothfairy
“As an RDH, I’m always on the hunt for new adjuncts for my patients to optimize their oral health. I will definitely be recommending Happy ppl gum! They have such fun flavors, contain cavity fighting ingredients, and they are all natural! I love products that are good for my patients and the environment!”

Heather, RDH, @yourfavorite_rdh
“Sugarfree gum in general is good to increase saliva flow especially for those people who suffer from dry mouth. Xylitol helps to inhibit the growth of the cavity causing bacteria. Since dry mouth sufferers are susceptible to decay, chewing xylitol gum can greatly reduce their risk of developing cavities.”

Hannah, RDH Student - @theblonderdh
“I’m so excited to try Happy ppl gum because of the benefits of chewing xylitol gum for the prevention of cavities! Chewing gum helps enhance saliva flow which helps stabilise PH which decreases those harmful bacteria found in the mouth. Dry mouth is also a big risk factor for caries, so Happy ppl gum is just the perfect touch to everyone’s oral hygiene routine!”

If you made it to the end, you deserve this bonus beauty secret – chewing gum can slim your jawline! GO CHEW and show your mouth some love!

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Candy is delicious. Your oral bacteria think so too.

If you're a candy person, we feel for you. There's nothing like munching on gummies, lollipops or twizzlers; at the movies; at a baseball game; in bed while watching The Notebook for the 48th time.

Having a sweet tooth is normal. We evolved to crave sugar, which gives us the energy we need to survive.

But too much sugar can wreak havoc on your mouth.

We spoke with Dannia Chavis, a dental hygienist who assures us that candy-love and mouth-love aren't mutually exclusive.

"Every time we eat a carb, the cavity-causing bacteria eat them as well. When you eat, you’ve gotta poop and so do they! Bacteria actually produce acids that erode the teeth. It takes about 45 minutes for our saliva to raise the pH of our mouth back to an alkaline state. So every time we eat, we’re restarting those 45 minutes. This is how snacking frequently can cause the oral cavity to remain in an acidic state for hours on end."

Uh oh. Is that bad news for candy-lovers? Not necessarily.

"Chewing xylitol gum after eating can help stimulate saliva flow to assist in the process of raising the pH. Xylitol can also help kill cavity-causing bacteria. They get tricked into thinking they’re eating another sweet snack, but they’re actually consuming a sugar alcohol that interferes with their metabolism and results in cell death".

What are some other ways to end the bacteria buffet?

"Use a water flosser after a snack! It’s not good to brush right away because the acid from bacteria lingers for about 45 minutes. Wouldn’t want to literally brush your teeth with acid! Swishing with water can also be sufficient."

So there you have it. We're certainly not recommending that you binge on candy, but if you can't help yourself, at least chew on some xylitol-gum or use a water flosser after indulging.

Show Dannia some love by following her on social.

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White teeth are hawt. But hawt doesn't mean healthy.

When most people think about their teeth, they think about beauty, not health.

Are my teeth white enough?

Do they have that Hollywood shine?

Can I finally smile on zoom calls again?

Mouth beauty is important, of course, but it should come second next to your mouth's health.

We spoke with Sheila Caraway, an RDH student who is passionate about this issue:

"Most whitening products contain some sort of bleaching agent in it. Other holistic products can contain natural yet abrasive ingredients. Whitening has been an easy way out to boost self-confidence and appearance. But what lies beneath the surface is far more important to your overall systemic health."

So how can you whiten responsibly?

Here are a few tips from Sheila:

* Switch up your diet for a bit. Remove all bright colored liquids, so the pigments can't stain your teeth.

* Stay in routine with your oral cleanings. Healthy gums can prevent a lot of infectious diseases! Your RDH is happy to introduce whitening after seeing little or no bleeding during an examination.

* Soft bristle toothbrushes! Oh, how delicate the teeth are. You can’t scrub your teeth hard to retrieve a white smile! The layers of your teeth will brush away to be permanently discolored. You want to preserve as much enamel as possible.

Awesome. So you can have a healthy mouth and white teeth, but should only prioritize it in that order.

Show Sheila some love by giving her a follow on Insta.

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