Once simply a way to freshen your breath, there are now chewing gums for everything from a vitamin boost to heartburn relief.
These new ‘functional gums’ are designed to deliver their key ingredients while you chew.
‘Mechanically releasing the active compound like this facilitates its fast absorption directly through the lining of the mouth long before it reaches the stomach,’ says Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist in Hampshire.
‘This means a much faster onset of action for certain drugs or other ingredients than if, for example, you took a tablet that then had to dissolve and be absorbed in the gut.’
Gum also offers a convenient alternative to pills and capsules, particularly for people who struggle to swallow them.
But do these new gums live up to their promise? We asked the experts to assess some of the latest products, which we then rated.
New ‘functional gums’ are designed to deliver their key ingredients while you chew. It also offers a convenient alternative to pills and capsules
For immunity
ZOHI Immunity Chewing Gum Lemon 50mg, £2.60 for ten, hollandandbarrett.com
CLAIM: ‘Support your immune system with zinc and vitamin C.’ Chew for at least five minutes. Up to four a day.
While ZOHI’s immunity chewing gum would give you a moderate vitamin and mineral boost, it is not enough to help tackle colds or flu
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The speedier absorption of vitamin and minerals through the mouth lining offers little practical benefit – this is because nutrients don’t work like painkillers, where rapid onset is crucial,’ says Sultan Dajani.
‘And most of the vitamin C and zinc will still ultimately be swallowed and absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract.
‘Each piece of gum contains 60mg of vitamin C – the recommended daily amount is 40mg – so it’s a decent and safe level.
‘However, the recommended daily intake for zinc is 7-9.5mg (depending on gender) and this only contains 2mg per piece of gum – so you’d need four pieces a day to get your full quota.
‘Even then, the dose of zinc in studies that show it may reduce the length of a cold is 75-100mg daily. So you’d get a moderate vitamin and mineral boost from this, but not enough to help with colds and flu.’
6/10
Relieves heartburn
Rennie 750mg Medicated Chewing Gum for heartburn and indigestion, £2.99 for ten, most pharmacies
CLAIM: ‘A sugar-free medicated chewing gum that provides effective relief from heartburn.’ Chew for 15 minutes after meals.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘This is one of the more scientifically proven chewing gums on the market – we know that the act of chewing alone can actually contribute to symptom relief in heartburn,’ says Sultan Dajani.
Pharmacist Sultan Dajani says this gum is particularly effective for relieving indigestion, as it contains contains calcium carbonate, an ingredient that neutralises stomach acid
‘This is because chewing stimulates saliva production – saliva contains bicarbonate, an alkaline compound that neutralises acid.
‘More importantly, swallowing saliva helps clear acid from the oesophagus. That’s why many people find ordinary sugar-free chewing gum helpful after meals.
‘Add to this the fact that this product contains calcium carbonate, a long-established ingredient that neutralises stomach acid and gives rapid relief. Delivering this via a gum is like using standard chewable indigestion tablets – though with the gum, smaller amounts of calcium carbonate are released more gradually over 15 minutes, so you continuously swallow saliva containing dissolved antacid, meaning the antacid reaches the stomach over a longer period.
‘But it’s the overall amount of calcium carbonate delivered that matters most, so the total acid-neutralising effect is likely to be broadly comparable with a chewable tablet.
‘This gum is a good remedy for occasional symptoms – but see your GP if you are getting symptoms several times a week.’
9/10
For dental health
Oramarie Probiotic Chewing Gum, £25 for 30, freshz.co.uk
CLAIM: ‘Gum with two targeted probiotic strains that help drive out “bad” bacteria – to fight cavities, bad breath and keep gums healthy.’ Chew for at least 30 minutes after eating and brushing.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘We’ve known for years that the balance of bacteria in your mouth drives cavities and gum disease – and now there’s growing evidence linking this to conditions beyond the mouth such as heart disease,’ says Parveen Dehal, a dentist at Pure Dental Clinic in London.
This probiotic chewing gum is certainly a pricier option – at 83p per piece, that roughly adds up to £25 a month
‘The bacteria strains in this gum – L. brevis and L. plantarum – have decent research behind them, with the former having been shown to reduce cavity-causing bacteria. As with probiotic pills, the downside is that any benefits stop when you stop taking the gum. And at 83p a piece of gum, that adds up to roughly £25 a month indefinitely.
‘For a cheaper alternative, you can move the needle on oral health significantly with smarter food choices (cutting back on sugary snacks, for instance) and a good brushing technique.’
6/10
For caffeine hit
Lifeloop Energy+ 100mg Caffeine Gum*, £2.50 for ten, tesco.com
CLAIM: ‘Delivers 100mg of caffeine with vitamins B3, B6 and B12 to boost energy.’ Chew one for five to ten minutes.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘Caffeine gum has robust evidence behind it, and of all the “functional gums” here it’s one of the few where the chewing format offers a genuine advantage,’ says Sultan Dajani.
Lifeloop’s gum is ideal for a caffeine hit, as one piece is equivalent to a standard cup of coffee
‘Research shows that absorption through the mouth lining means caffeine reaches the bloodstream faster than drinking coffee or taking caffeine tablets – with measurable increases in blood caffeine concentration within five to 15 minutes; coffee takes 30 to 60 minutes to reach peak levels.
‘This makes gum useful when rapid alertness is needed and studies show it can improve both exercise performance and mental alertness – particularly after sleep deprivation.
‘But be careful not to overdo it. One piece of this gum is equivalent to a standard cup of coffee. For healthy adults, one or two pieces used strategically before sport, exams, driving or shift work is a sensible use.
‘The stated upper limit on this packet – four pieces daily – is the recognised recommended safe limit for caffeine, so any additional coffee, energy drinks and other caffeine sources need to be factored in. Excess levels can cause anxiety and heart palpitations in some people – and even be dangerous for those with poorly controlled high blood pressure and heart conditions. Pregnant women and under-18s should limit caffeine intake.’
8/10
For stronger teeth
Anianhao Remineralizing Gum with Nano-Hydroxyapatite & Xylitol, £19.93 for 60, amazon.co.uk
CLAIM: ‘Nano-hydroxyapatite to support strong teeth.’ Chew within 30 minutes of eating, for 20 minutes when you can’t brush.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘I’m genuinely impressed with nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP) as an ingredient,’ says Parveen Dehal.
While the use of nano-hydroxyapatite is promising, Parveen Dehal says the other ingredients in this product – such as charcoal, which is abrasive on enamel – means it is far from ideal
‘It’s one of the most promising developments in preventive dentistry in years. It’s a synthetic form of the mineral hydroxyapatite that makes up 97 per cent of our enamel.
‘In toothpaste form, the evidence for hydroxyapatite is compelling, showing real remineralisation of tooth enamel.
‘It works by filling microscopic cracks and pits on the tooth surface, putting vital calcium and phosphate back into the tooth to harden it and make it less prone to decay. However, I’m not so enthusiastic about getting it in a chewing gum.
‘In theory the longer contact time between tooth and the ingredient – with 15-20 minutes of chewing compared with the standard two minutes for tooth brushing – should help. But the evidence for gum-delivered nHAP is still thin.
‘There’s also activated charcoal in this gum, which is abrasive and risks scratching away the very enamel this gum is trying to rebuild.
‘This is a very expensive product and, although nHAP is a great ingredient, this isn’t the ideal formulation.’
4/10
For quitting smoking
Nicotinell Mint 4mg Medicated Chewing Gum, £11.20 for 96, most pharmacies
This best-selling gum from Nicotinell is widely said to be one of the most effective ways to quit smoking
CLAIM: ‘An aid to combat the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and reduce the cravings.’ Chew one piece as required. Use eight to 12 pieces per day.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘Nicotine gum is by far the best-selling type of gum sold in UK pharmacies,’ says Sultan Dajani.
‘And it’s one of the most effective over-the-counter aids for smoking cessation, with decades of studies behind it.
‘Nicotine gum provides rapid relief of cravings by delivering a hit of nicotine through the mouth lining straight into the bloodstream.
‘This fast delivery is vital as, in order to be successful, it has to work as soon as a cigarette craving comes on.
‘The gum may also satisfy the habit of having something in the mouth, which nicotine patches cannot do.
‘It can, however, cause hiccups, indigestion and sleep disturbance if used late in the evening – and some people remain dependent on the gum longer than intended.’
9/10
For fresher breath
CB12 Boost Strong Mint Chewing Gum for bad breath, £3.33 for ten, boots.com
CLAIM: ‘Prevents halitosis and provides instant breath freshness.’ Chew after eating, drinking or whenever needed, for ten to 15 minutes.
‘I’ve been recommending xylitol gum after meals for years. This is a great sugar-free gum to use after meals when brushing isn’t possible,’ Parveen Dehal says
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘This does what the best functional products do: it has taken a real clinical problem – halitosis – and identified the actual mechanism behind it, then built a product around that,’ says Parveen Dehal.
‘It uses zinc acetate to neutralise the volatile sulphur compounds [the gases your oral bacteria produce that cause bad breath] and the evidence for this effect is solid.
‘This gum is nearly 40 per cent xylitol [an artificial sweetener], which is genuinely impressive as that’s doing real cavity prevention – reducing acid in the mouth, and stimulating saliva production, so helping wash away food debris and bacteria.
‘I’ve been recommending xylitol gum after meals for years. This is a great sugar-free gum to use after meals when brushing isn’t possible.’
7/10
Lifeloop is backed by the parent company of the Daily Mail but this review was independent.
