Study Says Chewing Sugar-Free Gum Could Save You From Having to go to the Dentist

New health economic research published in the British Dental Journal suggests that the National Health Services (NHS) in England could save millions on dental treatments per year if all 12-year-olds across the UK were to chew one additional piece of sugar free gum per day after eating and drinking.

The study, done by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, also reports that that cost savings rises when two pieces are chewed and more than doubles when the number hits three pieces. The reason: Chewing sugar-free gum increases salvia, which helps wash away food particles and neutralize plaque.

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While The British Dental Health Foundation still recommends that brushing for two minutes, twice a day, is still the best way to keep teeth clean and healthy, for children over the age of seven, chewing sugar-free gum is also an effective way to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

This is an important discovery for the NHS, which reports that more than 1 million patients in the UK use its dental services per week, with many of them seeking treatment for dental disease.