If your little one loves chewing gum but also complains of headaches, we’ve got news for you. A recent study suggests a link between the two — especially in young children. The research published in Pediatric Neurology showed the effects of chewing gum on 30 kids who complained of chronic headaches. The same kids also chewed gum from one to six hours per day. When they stopped chewing gum, 19 reported that their headaches went away completely. Seven others said their head pain was less frequent or less intense. Once they returned to chewing, the same 26 children said their headaches returned!
But why would chewing gum cause headaches? Good question. We believe the pain has to do with your jaw joint, also known as the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint. The repeated motion of chewing puts stress on the TMJ, where the jaw meets the skull. Over time, this continuous pressure can cause chronic pain in adults and children.
The news about headaches and chewing gum may be disappointing for people who are aware of the cavity-fighting benefits of popping a piece of sugar free gum in your mouth after a meal or during the day. Aside from causing head pain, chewing gum stimulates saliva flow to help wash away bacteria and food particles that collect and cause tooth decay and gum disease. But if chewing gum is causing you or your little one to have headaches, there are other ways to prevent oral problems like decay and infection.
September 30, 2016
If your little one loves chewing gum but also complains of headaches, we’ve got news for you. A recent study suggests a link between the two — especially in young children. The research published in Pediatric Neurology showed the effects of chewing gum on 30 kids who complained of chronic headaches. The same kids also chewed gum from one to six hours per day. When they stopped chewing gum, 19 reported that their headaches went away completely. Seven others said their head pain was less frequent or less intense. Once they returned to chewing, the same 26 children said their headaches returned!
But why would chewing gum cause headaches? Good question. We believe the pain has to do with your jaw joint, also known as the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint. The repeated motion of chewing puts stress on the TMJ, where the jaw meets the skull. Over time, this continuous pressure can cause chronic pain in adults and children.
The news about headaches and chewing gum may be disappointing for people who are aware of the cavity-fighting benefits of popping a piece of sugar free gum in your mouth after a meal or during the day. Aside from causing head pain, chewing gum stimulates saliva flow to help wash away bacteria and food particles that collect and cause tooth decay and gum disease. But if chewing gum is causing you or your little one to have headaches, there are other ways to prevent oral problems like decay and infection.
