Chewing gum after a colon surgery helps the patient recover sooner. If the patient chews gum for fifteen minutes for at least four times per day, it will reduce their recovery time by a day and a half. [50] The average patient took 0.66 fewer days to pass gas and 1.10 fewer days to have a bowel movement. [51] Saliva flow and production is stimulated when gum is chewed. Gum also gets digestive juices flowing and is considered "sham feeding". [51] Sham feeding is the role of the central nervous system in the regulation of gastric secretion. Bubblegum bubbles are formed when the tension and elasticity of gum polymers acts against the constant and equally dispersed pressure of air being directed into the gum bolus. Bubble gum bubbles are circular because pressure from the focused air being directed into the bolus acts equally on all of the interior surfaces of the gum cud, uniformly pushing outward on all surfaces as the polymers extend. As the bubble expands, the polymers of the gum base stretch and the surface of the bubble begins to thin. When the force of the air being blown into the bubble exceeds the force that the polymers can withstand, the polymers overextend and the bubble pops. Due to the elastic attributes of chewing gum, the deflated bubble recoils and the wad of gum is ready to continue being chewed. [2]

Rimar, Yossi; Babich, Jay P; Shaoul, Ron (2004). "Chewing gum bezoar". Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 59 (7): 872. doi: 10.1016/S0016-5107(04)00162-2. PMID 15173807. Every time we swallow a few bubbles of gas make it to our stomach, but if you gulp your food or chew gum, then you'll swallow excessive bubbles of gas, and you might just blow up like a balloon!” B-schools ban chewing gum on campus". The Times of India. 26 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013 . Retrieved 2 August 2010.Suda, R.; Suzuki, T.; Takiguchi, R.; Egawa, K.; Sano, T.; Hasegawa, K. (2006). "The Effect of Adding Calcium Lactate to Xylitol Chewing Gum on Remineralization of Enamel Lesions". Caries Research. 40 (1): 43–46. doi: 10.1159/000088905. PMID 16352880. S2CID 45316316. Bursting the bubble: how gum lost its cool". The Economist. 26 July 2021. ISSN 0013-0613 . Retrieved 28 July 2021. Notwithstanding the above reports, the effects of chewing gum on cognition and physiology are controversial. For example, the facilitative effects of chewing gum on memory [ 145, 153] have proved difficult to replicate [ 32], as has the accelerating effect of chewing gum on heart rate [ 32, 145]. The context-dependent memory effect demonstrated by Baker et al. [ 165] has not been replicated; thus the effects of chewing gum on context-dependent memory are conflicting [ 165– 169]. In addition, Johnson et al. [ 33] detected no benefits of chewing on cortisol levels, state anxiety, or stress despite using a similar study design as Scholey et al. [ 30]. Torney et al. [ 34] also found no effect of chewing gum on mediating the level of stress experienced or on performance in a solvable anagram task. The anagram task used by Torney et al. [ 34] was only 5min long, much shorter than the task used by Scholey et al. [ 30] (~20min), suggesting that a greater period of chewing is needed to observe a reduction in stress [ 153]. Experts don’t fully understand how chewing gum improves memory. One theory is that this improvement is due to increased blood flow to the brain caused by chewing gum.

a b Fritz, D (2008). "Evaluation and shelf-life". In Fritz, D (ed.). Formulation and Production of Chewing and Bubble Gum (2ed.). Essex: Kennedy's Publications Ltd. pp.75–90. The ingredients in chewing gum have been established as safe for humans to consume. In fact, the act of chewing may have surprising benefits for mental and physical health! Other studies [45] indicated that the caries preventive effect of chewing sugar-free gum is related to the chewing process itself rather than being an effect of gum sweeteners or additives, such as polyols and carbamide. A study investigating the in situ effect of casein phosphopeptide–amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP–ACP) found that its incorporation into a sugar-free gum increases the remineralization / protection of eroded enamel surface significantly. [46] While it’s not about to stay in your gut forever, you might want to consider the quantity of gum you're swallowing. Peppermint and spearmint are the most popular flavors. [26] Food acids are implemented to provide a sour flavor (i.e. citric, tartaric, malic, lactic, adipic, and fumaric acids).Ponakla, SV; Corliss, G; Prakash, I; Bishay, I (2008). "High-intensity sweeteners in sugar-free chewing gum". In Fritz, D (ed.). Formulation and Production of Chewing and Bubble Gum (2ed.). Essex: Kennedy's Publications Ltd. pp.157–93. If an overwhelming work day has a person stressed out when they come home each evening, choosing to chew gum every day may not be such a bad idea. sugar, dextrose, glucose or corn syrup, erythritol, isomalt, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol

Contestants from The Biggest Loser chew gum regularly because multiple studies have shown it can help cut calories throughout their day, as noted by WebMD. Manual or semi-automatic slab feeding devices, or fully automatic feeding with buffer in line combination (optional) Ladret, M; Le Bot, Y; Nesvadba, S; Ostermann, E; Ribadeau-Dumas, G (2008). "Polyols: their properties and applications in sugar-free chewing gum". In Fritz, D (ed.). Formulation and Production of Chewing and Bubble Gum (2ed.). Essex: Kennedy's Publications Ltd. pp.133–55. Tooth decay occurs because the bacteria in your mouth break down sugar into acid. The acid eats away at the hard enamel surface of your teeth, a process that creates holes in the enamel and pathways for bacteria to infect your tooth’s dentin layer and pulpal tissues. Eventually, as your tooth decays, it may require a root canal to save it. Some older animal studies have linked very high doses of titanium dioxide with nervous system and organ damage in rats ( 6, 7).Several randomized controlled studies have investigated the use of chewing gum in reducing the duration of post-operative ileus following abdominal and specifically gastrointestinal surgery. A systematic review of these suggests gum chewing, as a form of " sham feeding", is a useful treatment therapy in open abdominal or pelvic surgery, although the benefit is less clear when laparoscopic surgical techniques are used. [49] BHT is an antioxidant that’s added to many processed foods as a preservative. It stops food from going bad by preventing fats from becoming rancid. Onyper, Serge V.; Carr, Timothy L.; Farrar, John S.; Floyd, Brittney R. (2011). "Cognitive advantages of chewing gum. Now you see them, now you don't". Appetite. 57 (2): 321–28. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.05.313. PMID 21645566. S2CID 18821962. Gum does increase saliva production, but frequent gum chewing is probably not the best way to treat dry mouth,” Dr. Kahn notes. Frequent sips of water can be equally effective. And there are medications you can take to increase your natural saliva production.