Violet Beauregarde, an audacious and impudent character from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, certainly came to a sticky end. Arrogantly grabbing a piece of blueberry pie flavoured gum caused her to turn into a blueberry as her mother exclaimed “Violet, you’re turning violet!”. Although gum most probably will not cause you or your loved ones to transform into fruit, it has many up and downsides to it.

Gum is named after the rubbery base that gives it its chewy quality. It also contains resin which strengthens and holds it together and fillers that give the gum its texture. Softeners are used to retain moisture and preservatives are there to give the product a lengthy shelf life. Lastly, flavourings and sweeteners are present, giving the gum its desired flavour as well as a sweet kick. Flavourings often contain aspartame, an ingredient in the sugar. This chemical can cause tooth decay due to the acid produced as it gets broken down. The acid dissolves the tooth surface, thus entering the first stage of tooth decay. Bad breath can be a symptom of decay, however this can be cured by gum (sugar free this time!). The action of chewing stimulates an increased production of saliva from the salivary glands. This can act as a dilutant for the bacteria, causing a change in breath to a far more pleasant smell. Alas, a trip to the dentist is still necessary!

Another advantage to gum is its ability to improve memory. A 2011 study by a team of psychologists at St. Lawrence University found that overall test performance was significantly better by a group chewing gum. This could be down to the increase in heart rate and blood flow causing amplified action of the hippocampus, the brains learning and memory centre.

This may sound positive, but gum can increase levels of gassiness as well as induce stomach pains due to the heightened swallowing of air. So if a foul smell emerges from a group, it is almost certain that it is from the chewer! The odour could cause feelings of nauseousness, however the solution to this is of course gum. With herbal flavours such as mint being the most affective, gum is said to have aided around 75% of women’s post-surgery nausea at a study at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Ella from Barnet stated, “I suffer dreadfully from motion sickness, but as long as I have my spearmint gum by my side in the car, the nausea is kept at bay”. Ella here is proof of the beneficial effect that chewing can have on her sickness. However, the action of chewing the gum could result in a jaw problem named temporomandibular disorder. This is when the muscles and joints of the jaw are painful, thus making movement uncomfortable. Although rare, this problem along with general jaw pain and discomfort are prominent risks for frequent gum-chewers.

Overall, is seems that the evidence shows gum to be of no harm as long as it is consumed in moderation. But I am curious as to what was in Willie Wonker’s chewing gum….