Now Reading: Doctors warn of hype over functional chewing gum
-
01
Doctors warn of hype over functional chewing gum
Bengaluru doctors report a surge in patients asking about 'functional chewing gums' that claim to boost oral health, energy, vitamins, or help quit smoking. While xylitol-based sugar-free gums have the strongest evidence,…
The Story in Brief
Bengaluru doctors report a surge in patients asking about 'functional chewing gums' that claim to boost oral health, energy, vitamins, or help quit smoking. While xylitol-based sugar-free gums have the strongest evidence, doctors caution that most products are not a substitute for medical treatment or a balanced diet. Overreliance on heartburn-relief gums could delay diagnosis of GERD or peptic ulcers, and excessive chewing may cause jaw pain. Nicotine and caffeine gums can be effective, but consumers lack awareness of proper use and limits, physicians told Times of India.
The Indian Opinion
The press is treating functional gum as a breakthrough, but the doctors interviewed are far more cautious. Headlines that read 'popping the bubble' frame this as a trend to celebrate, yet the real news is the absence of strong evidence for most claims. Caffeine and nicotine gums have science behind them, but 'super gums' for vitamins or heartburn are convenience products at best. The test that matters: watch for an adverse-event registry or a regulatory warning from the Ministry of AYUSH or FSSAI. Until then, is this innovation or just expensive confectionery?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
