You likely know several teachers that would tell you to spit out your gum in class, but what they may not realize is that regularly exercising the muscles of the jaw is a great way to improve oral health, and it may even help prevent tooth loss later on in life! So, if you’ve ever wondered “Can chewing gum strengthen your jaw?” we have some great news for you – it can!
Why Working Out Your Jaw Muscle is Important
Did you know that when you chew, you are actively rebuilding the tissue of your jawbone? What’s more, the act of chewing releases enzymes that not only help to remineralize teeth and jawbone tissue, but also assist with digestion. This is why after some time of chewing gum you will likely begin to feel hungry.
The reason working out your jaw is important is that a healthy jawbone is essential to keeping all of your teeth through your senior years. Healthy, dense jawbone tissue helps maintain dental alignment and has a part in helping to prevent teeth from drifting out of place.
How to Get a Stronger Jaw
Just as you build muscles in other areas of your body, you can get a stronger, more defined jaw by performing repetitive resistance exercises, such as chewing gum! Of course, you can also overdo and actually strain your jaw muscle, which can make it uncomfortable to chew foods and even talk. Therefore, you should also remember to follow a nutrient-rich diet and allow your jaw muscles time to rest in order to achieve the best long-term results.
Exercising Your Jaw Muscles
Beyond chewing gum, there are a few different ways you can exercise your jaw muscles. In fact, simply opening and closing your mouth activates the muscles of the jaw. But, simply opening and closing your mouth doesn’t provide a lot of resistance to build jaw muscles. That is where chewing gum comes in. Chewing gum will cause you to work the muscles of the jaw while also offering some level of resistance. This repetitive resistance will help the muscles to grow stronger.
Like any other type of exercise, you can overdo it. Therefore, chewing a piece of gum that is too large, or chewing for too long, can inadvertently injury your jaw muscle. If you begin to feel some discomfort you should allow the jaw muscle to rest for 24 or 48 hours.
If chewing gum isn’t your thing, there are so-called “jawline exercisers” and “jawline sculptors” for sale online. But, the same rules apply; if you feel discomfort, give it a rest, or shorten the intensity or duration of your jaw muscle workouts. Chewing when your jaw is overworked can break down the tissue instead of help build it up. As with all types of strength-building exercising, giving your jaw muscles time to rest will help regenerate and repair the damage associated with exercise.
