Can Chewing Gum Improve Concentration?

It’s been said that chewing on sugarless gum can benefit a person’s oral health, and many dental professionals speak to its effectiveness in this regard. Taking it one step further, however, a recent study out of Wales’ Cardiff University has found that chewing on sugarless gum right after a midday meal could also help people maintain their focus and avoid afternoon slumps in productivity during their workdays. It’s not a theory many would expect – chewing gum improving concentration – but to get an idea of the results this study produced, read on and discover it for yourself.

Published by the British Journal of Psychology , this study assessed 38 participants and their concentration by giving them short-term auditory memory tests. All participants listened to sequences of numbers between one and nine, which were being read with a random order.

The participants, half of whom were told to chew sugarless gum during the half-hour test, were scored by how quickly and accurately they could detect sequences of odd-even numbers. Each participant completed a questionnaire on his or her mood before the test and after as well.

Researchers discovered the participants who were chewing gum had faster reaction times as well as more precise results, especially later in the test. According to lead author Kate Morgan, “It’s been well established by previous research that chewing gum can benefit some areas of cognition.

In our study, we focused on an audio task that involved short-term memory recall to see if chewing gum would improve concentration, especially in the latter stages of the task. Interestingly, participants who didn’t chew gum performed slightly better at the beginning of the task but were overtaken by the end. This suggests that chewing gum helps us focus on tasks that require continuous monitoring over a longer amount of time.”

In addition to these suggested positive attributes, various clinical studies suggest chewing on sugarless gum right after meals for at least 20 minutes can help people avoid tooth decay. Not only does it increase saliva flow, washing away food debris, but it also neutralizes acids created by bacteria and provides infection-fighting substances for the mouth. An increased flow of saliva also brings more phosphate and calcium with it, both of which can help strengthen enamel.

To produce this supposed increased concentration as well as preventing cavities, choose gums with the ADA’s seal, which indicates it’s been sweetened by sugar-free sweeteners like xylitol, mannitol, aspartame, or sorbitol. As well, regardless of the added benefits of sugarless gum, it does not replace standard flossing and brushing, which should be done twice per day to maintain optimum oral health.

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