For some people, chewing gum is mandatory in the bag. The sensation of chewing gum is unique. Did you know that chewing gum that many people like is beneficial for the brain? Come on, learn more about the benefits of chewing gum for the brain below.
Can chewing gum make you smart?
There are some people who consume chewing gum to lose weight.
In addition, there are other potential benefits that you can get from chewing gum.
There are several studies that have found the potential benefits of chewing gum for the brain for cognitive abilities. Here are the benefits.
1. Improve work performance
Research published by BioMed Research International (2015) observed that people who chew gum during work hours can work more productively and efficiently.
In addition, the problem of difficulty focusing and fatigue also decreases when working hours are almost over.
Chewing gum also helps increase alertness so work is easier to do with less resistance.
So, why the benefits of chewing gum for the brain appear?
Researchers suspect that chewing movements make facial muscles more active.
This can actually improve your ability to pay attention to work. This is what makes you more focused.
In addition, the chewing motion increases the flow of blood and glucose to the brain, precisely to the central nervous system.
Glucose is the “fuel” for the brain to work optimally. This blood flow will carry oxygen and nutrients so that brain function increases.
Summary
“Chewing gum helps improve work performance by increasing focus and blood flow to the brain.”
2. Maintain the ability to remember
Can chewing gum make you smart? It’s possible that chewing it could make you smarter by sharpening your memory.
This is also discussed in a review published by the Japanese Dental Science Review (2018).
Citing this review, chewing movements help activate the hippocampus or the part of the brain that regulates memory.
In addition, chewing movements facilitate blood flow, thereby increasing oxygen levels in the hippocampus.
As a result, the function of the hippocampus in remembering will be more optimal.
Even so, researchers note the benefits of chewing gum can be obtained when you chew with a more consistent movement.
3. Reduces anxiety
Who would have thought that the benefits of chewing gum for the brain could make a better mood?
However, the effect may be different when listening to music genres to improve your mood.
A study published in the Journal of Healthcare Engineering (2022) tried to understand how chewing gum can reduce anxiety and stress.
Experts suspect that the menthol content of mint-flavored gum provides a calming sensation in people experiencing stress and anxiety.
In addition, the chewing movement has the potential to reduce stress because it regulates the front part of the brain or prefrontal cortex.
This part of the brain helps manage dopamine, a brain compound that controls mood.
Not only that, this part of the brain helps make informed decisions.
That way, you don’t make hasty decisions, which can actually cost you, when experiencing stress or anxiety.
Chewing gum also reduces the activity of parts of the brain associated with stress, namely the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and autonomic nervous systems.
No wonder if chewing gum is often chosen as a food to relieve stress.
4. Maintain body balance
Not only cognitive and emotional intelligence, but the benefits of chewing gum for the brain are also good for the body’s motor function.
When you make a chewing motion, there are several parts of the brain that become active.
These parts include the cerebellum, brain stem, motor cortex, caudate, cingulate, and others.
In addition, when eating chewing gum, the sugar content in chewing gum can increase blood flow to brain tissue.
This effect can activate the frontotemporal cortex and cerebellum. Well, this little o no serves to regulate the coordination of the body’s balance.
In addition, chewing gum stimulates jaw motion sensors. This sensor was also able to help the body move in balance.
Therefore, the body also tends to be more stable while standing upright on an unstable surface. This explanation is presented in a study published by Somatosensory & Motor Research (2014).
However, if you have diabetes, are worried about sugar levels in chewing gum, and want to maintain a balanced body, it’s a good idea to still choose the right exercise for diabetes.
The potential benefits of chewing gum for the brain don’t just make you smart.
There are several improvements in brain function that are good for physical abilities and managing mood. However, make sure you consume enough chewing gum.
Chewing gum can indeed help maintain healthy teeth and mouth, but remember there is also a risk of harm to chewing gum if consumed too much and often. According to BRIGHT SIDE When I Chewed Gum Every Day for a Month, See What Happened