Can pregnant women chew gum? The benefits and harms of chewing gum during pregnancy. Can pregnant women chew gum: possible consequences, reviews Why pregnant women should not chew gum
Pregnant women are no exception.
As a rule, only after learning about the upcoming replenishment, each future mom makes some changes to her usual lifestyle and refuses certain products that may be unsafe for her health or the life of her unborn baby.
In particular, women often wonder whether pregnant women can chew gum, or whether it is better to give up this habit for a while. We will tell you about the benefits and harms of chewing gum, as well as why women in an “interesting” position should not use it in this article.
How can chewing gum be useful during pregnancy?
In fact, the only beneficial quality that chewing gum has is that it effectively and quickly freshens breath. The fact that chewing gum cleans teeth well is nothing more than a myth started by chewing gum manufacturers, which they use to attract a large number of customers.
- In reality, chewing gum only slightly cleans the outer surface of the teeth and does not in any way touch the spaces between them.
- In addition, it does not destroy tartar and pathogens that provoke the formation of unpleasant plaque on the teeth.
- It is much better and safer to use various balms to freshen breath instead of chewing gum, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by numerous clinical trials and professional dentists.
Why shouldn't pregnant women chew gum?
- During pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother works for two, and a huge part of vitamins and
she gives minerals to her future son or daughter. - Including during pregnancy there is a significant outflow of calcium and fluoride– minerals that are responsible for the condition of bone tissue and our teeth. This is why pregnant women often notice that their teeth begin to crumble, and the enamel becomes very thin and destroyed.
- Regular use of chewing gum during pregnancy may cause fillings to fall out. which will be quite difficult to replace, because the expectant mother cannot always go to the dentist. In some cases, dental treatment, especially with the use of anesthesia, may be contraindicated during this period of time. In addition, most chewing gums have a negative effect on the condition of tooth enamel due to their high sugar content.
- If the chewing gum does not contain sugar, then it contains a sweetener - aspartame. One of the components of this substance is the amino acid phenylalanine, which can negatively affect the balance of hormones of both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. In addition, most chewing gums contain all kinds of dyes and flavors, the properties of which and their effect on the fetus have not been sufficiently studied. In any case, extra chemical substances It is better not to use during pregnancy, as they can provoke various allergic reactions.
- Finally, as you know, chewing gum promotes the secretion of large amounts of gastric juice. Under its influence, stomach tissue is destroyed if no food enters it. This is why doctors do not recommend chewing gum for more than 15 minutes at a time. While you are expecting a baby, the process of tissue destruction proceeds much faster, so it is better not to chew gum at all during pregnancy.
Of course, the question of whether pregnant women can chew gum is controversial.
Many girls do not attach importance to the harmful effects of this product and believe that chewing gum a couple of times a week is absolutely safe. Others, on the contrary, limit themselves in everything, and chewing gum is no exception for them.
In any case, whether it is possible to use chewing gum during the period of bearing a child, every expectant mother must decide for herself, carefully weighing all the pros and cons.
The materials posted on this page are informational in nature and intended for educational purposes. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. Determining the diagnosis and choosing a treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician.
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It is believed that the chewing reflex is the most ancient and necessary for life. Having lost the ability to chew, a person faces serious trials due to nutritional problems.
Controversial chewing gum
With the appearance of chewing gum on the shelves, many people fell in love with it, and gradually chewing a small lump became a habit. But if the fan is a pregnant woman, what should she do? Is it possible to still chew or should you give up your addiction for a while?
Doctors are either very categorical about this, warning about the impending dangers of this product, or are more supportive, not finding any particular concern. But still in these nine months female body weakened, the teeth also suffer from this, which is why dentists urgently remind you of the need to check their condition while a new life is maturing in the stomach.
Chewing gum, due to its sticking effect, makes it very easy to remove the filling that is in the tooth over time. A so-called “chewing vacuum” occurs. Often it is the rubber band, and not the doctor, who is to blame for having to seek help from the dentist again. Since additional stress and anesthesia are not advisable at this time, it is necessary to take care of your teeth. And if your favorite gum contains a large percentage of sugar, then the enamel will suffer first of all, because in a sweet and sour environment various bacteria multiply very comfortably, which feast on the enamel.
Is the fetal body in danger?
But there is an equally dangerous fact that can negatively affect the health of the fetus. If you set yourself the goal of studying the composition of each chewing gum, then to a lesser/greater extent you will definitely find the letter “E”, which in this case turns out to be a formidable warning that the composition implies danger.
For example, the presence of aspartame, that is, “E 951,” can be found in almost every gum. It is used instead of sugar, but doctors say that this substance can change hormonal levels thanks to the ingredient phenylalanine, not only in the female body, but also in the unborn baby. But there is another opinion - this is just a harmless amino acid, and during this period it is especially important for two, but practically does not pass through the placenta.
But discussions also continue around various other components when it comes to various flavoring additives and food colorings. For example, alarm was raised by evidence that many well-known gum contained the component “E 131,” which was listed as a common dye. But in fact, it can push the body towards cancer.
What about latex, without which any chewing gum cannot exist? Scientists have not yet fully figured out what it is capable of in the human body, especially since no experiments have ever been conducted with pregnant women. It is not clear how this substance affects the embryo. If the female body still requires something similar, then there are natural substitutes - natural resins.
But the positive effects of chewing gum are very significant. And the main thing is that it helps fight such an unpleasant phenomenon as toxicosis, which helps many pregnant women. In this case, gum with a mint effect is especially in demand, which is enough to chew for several minutes, and the nausea will subside. Even on airplanes, when many passengers experience discomfort during the flight, chewing soothes and relieves the gag reflex.
Precautionary measures
- But still, you should not use the gum for more than 10 minutes, even if it pleasantly massages the gums. It has been proven in practice that chewing for too long begins to cause a reverse reaction in the body, then vomiting and nausea appear.
- If a woman had problems with the gastrointestinal tract even before conception, then these problems should not be aggravated during pregnancy.
- Pregnant women should take into account that while chewing, a signal is sent to the brain that it is time to process food. This means that gastric juice begins to be actively secreted. And since this signal is false, the juice begins to aggressively affect the walls of the stomach. As a result, diseases such as ulcers and gastritis appear. Therefore, while chewing gum, the stomach should not be empty.
Why doctors are prejudiced against chewing gum
- It contains a lot of sugar, which is known to cause elevated blood glucose levels.
- Various additives can cause allergic reactions.
- Sugar substitutes sometimes cause pain in the intestines and stomach, and provoke diarrhea.
- Liquorice, which is part of chewing gum, increases blood pressure and promotes rapid leaching of potassium from the body.
- Mouth ulcers and inflammation on the outer corners of the mouth are caused by oils and flavorings in the product.
Video: the benefits and harms of chewing gum
Pregnant women are no exception.
As a rule, only after learning about the upcoming replenishment, each expectant mother makes some changes to her usual lifestyle and refuses certain products that may be unsafe for her health or the life of the unborn baby.
In particular, women often wonder whether pregnant women can chew gum, or whether it is better to give up this habit for a while. We will tell you about the benefits and harms of chewing gum, as well as why women in an “interesting” position should not use it in this article.
How can chewing gum be useful during pregnancy?
In fact, the only beneficial quality that chewing gum has is that it effectively and quickly freshens breath. The fact that chewing gum cleans teeth well is nothing more than a myth started by chewing gum manufacturers, which they use to attract a large number of customers.
- In reality, chewing gum only slightly cleans the outer surface of the teeth and does not in any way touch the spaces between them.
- In addition, it does not destroy tartar and pathogens that provoke the formation of unpleasant plaque on the teeth.
- It is much better and safer to use various balms to freshen breath instead of chewing gum, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by numerous clinical trials and professional dentists.
Why shouldn't pregnant women chew gum?
- During pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother works for two, and a huge part of vitamins and
she gives minerals to her future son or daughter. - Including during pregnancy there is a significant outflow of calcium and fluoride– minerals that are responsible for the condition of bone tissue and our teeth. This is why pregnant women often notice that their teeth begin to crumble, and the enamel becomes very thin and destroyed.
- Regular use of chewing gum during pregnancy may cause fillings to fall out. which will be quite difficult to replace, because the expectant mother cannot always go to the dentist. In some cases, dental treatment, especially with the use of anesthesia, may be contraindicated during this period of time. In addition, most chewing gums have a negative effect on the condition of tooth enamel due to their high sugar content.
- If the chewing gum does not contain sugar, then it contains a sweetener - aspartame. One of the components of this substance is the amino acid phenylalanine, which can negatively affect the balance of hormones of both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. In addition, most chewing gums contain all kinds of dyes and flavors, the properties of which and their effect on the fetus have not been sufficiently studied. In any case, it is better not to use unnecessary chemicals during pregnancy, as they can provoke various allergic reactions.
- Finally, as you know, chewing gum promotes the secretion of large amounts of gastric juice. Under its influence, stomach tissue is destroyed if no food enters it. This is why doctors do not recommend chewing gum for more than 15 minutes at a time. While you are expecting a baby, the process of tissue destruction proceeds much faster, so it is better not to chew gum at all during pregnancy.
Of course, the question of whether pregnant women can chew gum is controversial.
Many girls do not attach importance to the harmful effects of this product and believe that chewing gum a couple of times a week is absolutely safe. Others, on the contrary, limit themselves in everything, and chewing gum is no exception for them.
In any case, whether it is possible to use chewing gum during the period of bearing a child, every expectant mother must decide for herself, carefully weighing all the pros and cons.
The materials posted on this page are informational in nature and intended for educational purposes. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. Determining the diagnosis and choosing a treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician.
Similar articles
All women are individual at their core. Some, having learned that they are expecting a child, become immersed in worries about their health, begin to eat for two and drink vitamins by the handful.…
The pregnancy period is the most important period in the life of any woman. Almost everyone begins to have a different attitude towards their health and lifestyle, especially...
Since childhood, we have all been taught that vegetables and fruits are healthy, they contain vitamins and microelements necessary for normal...
Pregnancy can cause a dramatic change in a woman's taste preferences. It happens that an expectant mother suddenly becomes a fan of combining herring with honey,...
During pregnancy, many women barely have time to follow the changes that happen to them. Among them, changes in taste preferences also appear.…
Is the habitual chewing gum, which has been in the mouths of many people for several decades, prohibited for pregnant women? Why? And anyway, where do such strange thoughts come from?
We do not offer simple answers; unfortunately, today there are simply none. However, this does not mean that there is nothing to talk about here, because interesting information complete. This means there is something to think about. This article will provide information that will help you get closer to understanding whether pregnant women can chew gum, and perhaps give up this harmful habit.
Chewing gum during pregnancy and teeth
What can chewing gum give or take away during pregnancy? Let's start from the top - with the teeth.Every day TV commercials dazzle us with their smiles, telling us that without X chewing gum (Orbit, Dirol, Wrigley's, Airwaves, etc.) they would have a hard time and their teeth would certainly turn black and fall out.
The opinion is interesting, but has little to do with the truth. Because no chewing gum is simply capable of completely cleaning your teeth (unless the distance between adjacent teeth is half a centimeter). And there is probably no need for evidence here. Everyone is already convinced of this. But advertising is no joke and “cleanses” the brain almost to the holes...
True, fashionable chewing gum has one advantage - your breath becomes fresher, but this is a slightly different story. Therefore, in this regard, pregnant women are unlucky.
How can chewing gum during pregnancy cause harm? Since we are talking about teeth, let’s remember about fillings that come out perfectly under the influence of chewing gum. And you shouldn’t put all the blame on dentists who perform their duties poorly, because this also happens with good fillings, which are simply torn off by the “chewing vacuum.” Yes, yes, not only glue is evil, the vacuum between the chewing gum and the tooth is no less harmful.
But the loss of a filling is not main reason, why chewing gum is contraindicated during pregnancy. The whole “salt” is that a pregnant woman before giving birth (or even longer) will not be able to visit the dentist, since it is either painful or involves anesthesia, which is harmful for the child.
By the way, if chewing gum contains sugar, then such chewing gum is doubly dangerous for pregnant women, because it literally “eats” the enamel of the teeth. Well, not by herself, of course. The enamel is eaten by bacteria, which multiply most quickly in a sweet-sugar environment. In addition, a pregnant woman is in great need of calcium, as a result of which there may simply not be enough to patch holes in her teeth. You already know about the dentist...
So, if your teeth could tell whether pregnant women can chew gum, they would definitely tremble in fear. Although this may not have scared you at all.
Well, then let's think some more about why pregnant women shouldn't chew gum.
Is it possible for pregnant women to chew gum, or How many E-shells are in one chewing gum
There is currently a buzz on the Internet about aspartame (E951), which is added to many well-known chewing gums instead of sugar. Some say that phenylalanine, one of the components of aspartame, negatively affects the hormonal levels of the pregnant woman and the fetus. This means that such chewing gum is contraindicated for pregnant women.Others argue that phenylalanine is a common amino acid that the body needs, and therefore pregnant women can chew gum without any concern (unless they have phenylketonuria). In addition, phenylalanine practically does not pass through the placenta.
In general, there is no clear and unambiguous “possible” or “impossible” to answer this question. But you should still know that Belarusian doctors prescribed “not recommended for pregnant and lactating women” on Dirol chewing gum. Maybe not in vain?
It must be said that aspartame is not the only controversial component of chewing gum. In addition to it, there are a bunch of other “harmless” sweeteners, flavors and dyes, the harmfulness of which we have yet to learn about. Even latex, the basis of chewing gum, has not been fully studied.
Moreover, some chewing gum is harmful not only during pregnancy. Moreover, this is no longer speculation and empty talk, but an immutable fact. Until recently, Stimorol chewing gum contained the dye E131, which can cause cancer. Who knows, maybe in six months it will be discovered that E171 or some other “E” leads to the same consequences (by the way, E171 was already banned, but money helped it return). Such a story recently happened with E128 in the same Belarus.
Finally
Can pregnant women chew gum? Actually, no, but each woman decides for herself whether her pregnancy is a contraindication to chewing gum. And I really want to believe that now all pregnant women will be able to correctly assess the threat from chewing gum and will throw away even the packages that have already been started...
Today there is a huge variety of chewing gum on the market. Some of its types are designed to freshen breath, others - to clean and whiten teeth, and others - have a very pleasant taste and aroma, which both children and adults like so much. Numerous advertisements convince TV viewers of the need to chew gum every time after eating, and many of us have already become a habit.
Pregnant women are no exception.
As a rule, only after learning about the upcoming replenishment, each expectant mother makes some changes to her usual lifestyle and refuses certain products that may be unsafe for her health or the life of the unborn baby.
In particular, women often wonder whether pregnant women can chew gum, or whether it is better to give up this habit for a while. We will tell you about the benefits and harms of chewing gum, as well as why women in an “interesting” position should not use it in this article.
In fact, the only beneficial quality that chewing gum has is that it effectively and quickly freshens breath. The fact that chewing gum cleans teeth well is nothing more than a myth started by chewing gum manufacturers, which they use to attract a large number of customers.
In reality, chewing gum only slightly cleans the outer surface of the teeth and does not in any way touch the spaces between them. In addition, it does not destroy tartar and pathogens that provoke the formation of unpleasant plaque on the teeth.
It is much better and safer to use various balms to freshen breath instead of chewing gum, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by numerous clinical trials and professional dentists.
Why shouldn't pregnant women chew gum?
During pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother works for two, and a huge part of the vitamins and
she gives minerals to her future son or daughter.
In particular, during pregnancy there is a significant outflow of calcium and fluoride - minerals that are responsible for the condition of bone tissue and our teeth.
This is why pregnant women often notice that their teeth begin to crumble, and the enamel becomes very thin and destroyed.
Regular use of chewing gum during pregnancy can cause fillings to fall out, which will be quite difficult to replace, because the expectant mother cannot always go to the dentist. In some cases, dental treatment, especially with the use of anesthesia, may be contraindicated during this period of time. In addition, most chewing gums have a negative effect on the condition of tooth enamel due to their high sugar content.
If the chewing gum does not contain sugar, then it contains a sweetener - aspartame. One of the components of this substance is the amino acid phenylalanine, which can negatively affect the balance of hormones of both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. In addition, most chewing gums contain all kinds of dyes and flavors, the properties of which and their effect on the fetus have not been sufficiently studied. In any case, it is better not to use unnecessary chemicals during pregnancy, as they can provoke various allergic reactions.
Finally, as you know, chewing gum promotes the secretion of large amounts of gastric juice. Under its influence, stomach tissue is destroyed if no food enters it. This is why doctors do not recommend chewing gum for more than 15 minutes at a time. While you are expecting a baby, the process of tissue destruction proceeds much faster, so it is better not to chew gum at all during pregnancy.
Of course, the question of whether pregnant women can chew gum is controversial.
Many girls do not attach importance to the harmful effects of this product and believe that chewing gum a couple of times a week is absolutely safe. Others, on the contrary, limit themselves in everything, and chewing gum is no exception for them.
In any case, whether it is possible to use chewing gum during the period of bearing a child, every expectant mother must decide for herself, carefully weighing all the pros and cons.
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