Sugar-free gum helps prevent tooth decayTooth decay is the world’s most overlooked preventable diseaseTooth decay is the most common chronic disease in the world, yet it is almost entirely preventable.1 It affects 60–90% of school children and nearly all adults worldwide.2

What’s more, approximately

of tooth decay goes untreated.3

What causes tooth decay?When you get up in the morning, or if it has been a while since you last brushed, you may notice a sticky white or yellowish film on your teeth. This is called plaque. Plaque is always there on our teeth, and after we eat and drink, it releases acids. These acids attack our tooth enamel in a process called ‘demineralization’.4 Over time, this can weaken our teeth and cause decay, at which point they might change color, become painful, require fillings or, in extreme cases, fall out.

How does sugar-free gum help prevent tooth decay?1. Chewing sugar-free gum increases the

amount of saliva you produce, which is the body’s natural defense system for your mouth and teeth.

2. Saliva is 99% water5 and helps wash away food particles before they become trapped on, around or in between your teeth. It also contains various other important minerals, such as calcium and phosphate ions.4 This helps return your mouth to the right pH level and rebuild the protective layer of enamel on your teeth, a process known as ‘remineralization’.4

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Time (Min)

Inte

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xim

al p

laqu

e pH

before gum

during gum

after gum

without gum

Potential demineralization zone

How can you prevent tooth decay?

As well as regular check-ups with a dentist, and avoiding too much sugar in your diet, brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is the best way to help prevent tooth decay.

But your teeth come under attack from bacteria and plaque acids more than twice a day. Chewing sugarless gum can be a useful addition to your dental hygiene routine, to help keep tooth decay at bay while you’re on the go.

And that can lead to expensive (and sometimes uncomfortable) dental repairs and a negative impact on overall health and wellbeing.

1 2

Globally, oral diseases are the fourth most expensive condition

to treat.8

New research suggests that chewing one additional piece

of sugar-free gum per day, as part of a complete oral

hygiene routine, could reduce dental care expenditure

on treating tooth decay by US$4.1 billion annually.9

63% of the costs associated with

dentures and dental services can be linked back to dental caries.*

*Estimated on the basis of expert opinion and governmental data

Experts recommend chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks

• Neutralization of plaque acids6

• Maintenance of tooth mineralization6

• Reduction of oral dryness6

Look after your teeth…and your wallet

Meanwhile, the European Commission states that chewing sugar-free gum can contribute to:

In addition, numerous governments around the world offer guidance on the oral care benefits of chewing sugar-free gum. For example, federal guidelines in the name of the German government recommend that people chew sugar-free gum after meals every day.7

Don’t just take our word for it! The FDI World Dental Federation and approximately 20 national dental associations worldwide recognize the oral care benefits of chewing sugar-free gum, including:

“Chewing sugar-free gum is proven to benefit dental health as it helps neutralize plaque acids.”

– FDI World Dental Federation

At Wrigley, we’ve been researching the benefits of chewing gum since the 1930s. Fast forward to today and we are still on the case, using our 90 years’ experience in oral care to understand the science behind chewing, and to help millions of people around the world improve their oral health. We work with a wealth of scientists and dental health experts, including our own Dr Michael Dodds, a dentist with more than three decades’ experience in oral health practice and research.

Proud to be experts in oral care

Michael Dodds, BDS, PhDOral Health Lead Scientist at Wrigley

“ “People don’t expect to find a dentist working at Wrigley but I’m enormously proud of our work in advancing our understanding of sugar-free gum and the role it can play in oral care. There is no magic ingredient in sugar-free gum, instead it helps us produce more saliva that’s rich in the essential minerals needed to keep our teeth healthy. Chewing sugar-free gum is an excellent way to help improve our oral health when we’re on the go.

The Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP) partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one additional simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugar-free gum after eating and drinking on-the-go.

For more than 25 years, WOHP has supported independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening to help dental professionals and their patients understand the role of sugar-free gum as a convenient tool for everyday oral care.

WOHP is one example of how we make a difference to people and the planet, and how we incorporate our principles based approach to business into all that we do.

Wrigley is committed to making a real contribution to the oral health of the world

References1. Marcenes W1, Kassebaum NJ, Bernabé E, et al. Global burden of oral conditions in 1990–2010: a systematic analysis.

J Dent Res. 2013l;92:592–7.2. World Health Organization. Oral health. Fact sheet N°318, April 2012. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/

factsheets/fs318/en/ Last accessed November 2016.3. Marcenes W, Kassebaum NJ, Bernabé E, et al. Global burden of oral conditions in 1990–2010: a systematic analysis. J

Dent Res. 2013;92:592–7.4. Li X, Wang J, Joiner A, Chang J. The remineralisation of enamel: a review of the literature. J Dent. 2014;42(Suppl.

1):S12–20.5. de Almeida PD, Grégio AM, Machado MA, et al. Saliva composition and functions: a comprehensive review. J

Contemp Dent Pract. 2008;9:72–80.6. European Commission. EU Register on nutrition and health claims. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/nuhclaims/?event

=search&CFID=1390861&CFTOKEN=61ead93e41b19f51-F6B389AF-DB73-8E93-65F4577E314DC564&jsessionid=9212d52c3ffadefc5dba5455205c57687a3bTR Last accessed November 2016.

7. DGZ provides the first guideline for caries prophylaxis. Available at: https://www.dgz-online.de/aktuelles/dgz-legt-erste-leitlinie-zur-kariesprophylaxe-vor. Last accessed November 2016.

8. World Health Organization. Oral Health Disease Burden. Available at: www.who.int/oral_health/disease_burden/global/en/. Last accessed November 2016.

9. Rychlik RP. A global approach to assess the economic benefits of increased consumption of sugar free chewing gum,

submitted to the American Journal of Dentistry.

© 2017 Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.

For more information: Please contact [Insert name and email address of local contact] www.wrigley.com