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Now that the baseball season has begun and the Tigers are destined for another, uh, less than stellar campaign, it begs the question, “Where oh where are you Norm Cash, Al Kaline, Kirk Gibson, Willie Horton, Aurelio Rodriguez, Allen Trammel, and Gates Brown?” We’d even take Denny McLain, as long as he did his mail fraud work on his own time!

With baseball comes lots of gum chomping. Hubba Bubba. Big League Chew. Bazooka. Tasty bubble gums one and all, but also loaded with sugar.

So, maybe you should switch to sugarless gum, and not for the witless TV commercials where lovelorn singles finally find love after chomping on a piece of Trident. Sugarless gum turns out to have other characteristics that make it a strong ally in the fight for better oral health.

Here are some reasons Dr. Egger loves sugarless gum.

It prevents cavities

The American Dental Association reports that various studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can prevent tooth decay. It does this by boosting the flow of saliva in your mouth, which washes away food and neutralizes acids. The saliva also contains additional calcium and phosphate to support strengthening of enamel. That Bazooka you’ve been munching on also increases saliva, you say. Ah, but the sugar is used by plaque bacteria to produce acidic by-products, and those are the basis of how decay starts.

Enamel booster

We all know we should use toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride to strengthen the teeth. Sugarless gum has a similar effect. When you chew sugarless gum sweetened with xylitol, the acids left behind on your teeth from foods and drinks are reduced, say the ADA. The gum also prevents enamel erosion by supplying minerals to your teeth.

Reduces sensitivity

Sugar-free gum has another crazy benefit — it can reduce tooth sensitivity caused by in-office teeth whitening treatments. According to a study published in the British Dental Journal, patients who chewed sugarless gum after having their teeth whitened had significantly less tooth sensitivity compared to study participants who did not chew gum. The mechanism was thought to be the increase in saliva flow that creates this effect.

OK, so go to Comerica Park and chomp on some gum, just like all the players on the field. But don’t go spitting everywhere in sight, and don’t chew sugary bubble gum. Go sugarless, and your teeth with thank you. And that makes Dr. Egger happy. Maybe not as happy as bringing Mickey Stanley back in center field, but…

Is it time for your next exam and cleaning with Dr. Egger? Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your appointment.