Dr Susan McBeth

There is some truth to the myth, however: chewing gum is not digested. It contains resins, sometimes natural and sometimes synthetic, which our bodies cannot break down. Gum is simply passed along our digestive tract.

In rare cases, excessive amounts of swallowed gum can lead to constipation and intestinal blockage in young children. But parents need not be alarmed. Young children are not more susceptible to complications involving swallowed gum; young children are simply the only people who might swallow enough gum to cause digestive problems. Kids often forget or may not understand that gum is for chewing and not swallowing.

Simply put, an individual must swallow multiple pieces of gum in a very short period of time or swallow one great big wad of chewing gum to create a potential digestive risk. At one time or another, every kid puts five or six pieces of gum in their mouth to achieve an ultra-dense, cheek-bulging wad, especially with bubble gum if they want to blow big bubbles. If they swallowed that particular wad of gum, well, that could pose a problem. The truth, however, is the occasional swallowed piece of chewing gum is going to have no effect on the body.

Now that we have established the truth about swallowing gum, let’s talk a little about what kind of gum is right for your kids. Is gum really bad for a child’s teeth? Does chewing sugary gum lead directly to cavities? This depends a lot on the volume of gum and the brushing habits of the child.

What happens when we chew gum is the sugars are broken down by the saliva and absorbed or swallowed. What are left on the teeth are acidic byproducts—these eat away at tooth enamel and create cavities.

We want to assure you that chewing gum will not have much effect on overall dental health as long as the chewer practices good oral hygiene and brushes three times a day. Chewing several pieces of sugary gum every day without will certainly accelerate tooth decay and cause cavities.  However, from an orthodontic point of view, chewing gum can damage the brackets and wires we place to move your teeth during treatment which is why we ask our patients not to chew gum while wearing braces. 

So if your kids aren’t wearing braces, does that mean you should only allow them to chew sugar-free gum? This is where the debate gets personal. Some health professionals suggest sugar-free gum is not any healthier than regular gum because of its synthetic sweeteners. The Internet is flooded with literature about aspartame (the chemical sweetener used in NutraSweet and Equal), saccharine (Sweet’N’Low, Carefree gum), and also sucralose (the artificial sweetener in Splenda). Study the facts and decide for yourself what is best for you and your family.

Share with us any stories you might have about swallowing gum.  Leave a comment below.

Traditionally, one of the most popular gifts on Valentine’s Day is chocolate.  There’s a good reason – chocolate contains phenylethylamine, the same naturally occurring amino-acid released when we fall in love.

If you or someone special wears braces, go all out and make a special chocolate Valentine’s Day treat that is is “brace safe”.  We all know McBeth Orthodontics advises their patients to stay away from sticky, chewy and hard foods to prevent damage to their appliances. This includes many valentine chocolates with nuts, caramel, toffee, and nougat.

Below is a great recipe with a “secret ZING ingredient” you can whip up on your own from scratch instead of using a package mix for this extra special day. Whether it be a special someone or the entire family, they will appreciate the time effort when they first sink their teeth into this decadent Valentine’s Day Chocolate treat.

The recipe is courtesy of simplyrecipes.com and we added our own “secret” ingredient to give it that special ZING flavor that no one will be able to tell what it is!

Chocolate Mousse a la McBeth Orthodontics - It is worth the effort…

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ( substitute bittersweet chips)
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tablespoons espresso or very strong coffee (try using decaf espresso from a local Starbucks)
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Secret Ingredient “1/8 tsp” cayenne pepper
• (Optional) Raspberries and extra whipped cream on top for that festive look

Directions

• Whip the cream to soft peaks, then refrigerate.
• Combine the chocolate, butter, cayenne pepper, and espresso in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is just slightly warmer than body temperature. To test, dab some chocolate on your bottom lip. It should feel warm. If it is too cool, the mixture will seize when the other ingredients are added. To speed up the process, set the bowl in the kitchen sink filled a few inches of cold water.
• Once the melted chocolate has cooled slightly, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they are foamy and beginning to hold a shape. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
• When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, stir in the yolks. Gently stir in about one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in half the whites just until incorporated, and then fold in the remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream.
• Spoon or pipe the mousse into a serving bowl or individual dishes. If you wish, layer in fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. (The mousse can be refrigerated for up to a day.)
• Serves 5-8, depending on the size of the servings.

Your loved one will really appreciate the gesture.

Just as a reminder, chocolate may be good for your heart and sweet tooth, but it is definitely bad for your teeth… so don’t forget to brush afterwards.

Leave a comment after you try this recipe and let us know how you rate it!

Below is a great video Dr. McBeth found on YouTube.  Our world is changing at lightning speed and this video shows us how the world is changing right now.  It is an exciting age we live in.  We are here today, but where will we be one, two, or even ten years down the road?  The information is mind boggling, exciting, as well as thought provoking.  

We appreciate every one of our patients we have the privilege to treat within our practice.  With our Blog, we now have the ability to easily inform patients, family members and friends on different aspects of orthodontic treatment and dental care, share with you what is going on in our office, and discuss topics of interest we feel you would enjoy… Check out our current feature video ’Dueling Braces’.

At McBeth Orthodontics we work very hard to keep up with the latest developments in orthodontic treatment and technology.  We embrace change!  It’s what life and growth is all about.  

So, with that being said… watch the video below that has been viewed by almost two million people and highlights intriguing statistics about how our world is changing right now.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think about our changing world. Do you find the world today exciting or intimidating?  Also feel free to add suggestions on what you would like us to discuss in our blog…