We all know that discarded chewing gum can make our streets look like a dog’s dinner, but have you ever thought that they may be making your face deteriorate too?
A cosmetic surgeon in America is suggesting that excessively chewing gum could actually give you wrinkles, citing the anecdotal evidence of the customers who come to him seeking surgery.
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“Many of my patients who are gum chewers have a certain pattern of wrinkles around their mouth,” Dr Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon from Omaha, told MSNBC.
“And I think the gum is responsible to some degree for it.”
There is as yet no scientific evidence to back up the claim but a Washington, DC, cosmetic surgeon explained to MSNBC how the gum could cause problems.
“I believe chewing gum promotes muscle over-activity and potentially breaks down support tissue within the skin, contributing to volume loss and perhaps loss of skin elasticity,” Dr Hema Sundaram said.
However, as Dr Schlessinger concedes, we’re not talking about moderate gum chewers, to have a real problem you would have to be a dedicated chewer.
“We’re not talking about the occasional gum chewer,” he says. “We’re talking about the person who has a habit of chewing gum and is rarely if ever seen without a piece of gum in their mouth.”
However, other voices in the health sphere actually suggest that chewing gum may have the opposite effect.
“Chewing gum every day from five to 20 minutes can reduce facial wrinkles, improve blood circulation to the face and increase metabolic functions, allowing the wrinkles to gradually dissipate,” health commentator Pradeep Chauhan told the California Chronicle.
So while the jury is still out until detailed research is conducted, don’t give up gum just yet. As Australian Women’s Weekly health expert Karen Inge details below, gum does have its benefits.
Fresh breath: Minted gum can act as a great breath freshener after a meal.
Oral health: Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva, and can deliver many oral health benefits including helping to reduce plaque, reduce cavities, remineralise enamel to strengthen teeth and reduce and prevent stains.
Stay focused: Many athletes and students report that chewing gum helps them maintain alertness and focus. According to the American Dietetic Association, a study published in Appetite in 2002 showed that chewing gum appeared to improve people’s ability to learn, retain, and retrieve information.
Stress relief: Chewing gum may also help people release nervous energy and provide an outlet for frustration and irritation.
Assist weight loss: Chewing gum can also be a low-kilojoule substitute for high-kilojoule snacks and may help control your appetite. According to the American Dietetic Association, an initial study published in Appetite in 2007 found that chewing gum before an afternoon snack can help reduce hunger and decrease kilojoule intake.
In the study, adults who chewed gum for 15 minutes at one-hour intervals over a three-hour period before an afternoon snack ate 144 kilojoules less of the snack than adults who did not chew gum. Popping a piece of gum in your mouth is a clever diversion from nibbling while cooking and also a great way to signal the end of a meal (personally, I prefer a cup of peppermint tea!).
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