Health
Aspartame in chewing gum: Dental experts weigh in on the sweetener’s safety for teeth and gums
Despite the World Health Organization’s recent warning about it, aspartame doesn’t pose a cancer risk, the FDA and industry experts insist — but given that the artificial sweetener is used in many chewing gums and candies, does it pose any risk to the teeth and gums?
Chewing gum after meals is beneficial for the teeth because it increases saliva production, which helps to “dilute and neutralize acids produced by the bacteria in plaque on teeth,” according to the American Dental Association (ADA) website.
However, chewing gum that contains sugar can lead to cavities, potentially.
“Chewing sugar-free gum may, when added to a regular home oral care routine of twice-daily brushing with fluoridated toothpaste and daily cleaning between teeth, contribute to reducing caries (cavities) risk,” the ADA states.
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Even so, sugar-free gum could have some potential side effects. And there are healthier options that don’t contain aspartame, dental health experts told Fox News Digital.
Chewing gum after meals is beneficial for the teeth because it increases saliva production, dental experts say. (iStock)
Aspartame doesn’t cause dental decay as regular sugar does, noted Fatima Khan, a dentist and co-founder of Riven Oral Care in Houston, Texas.
“Regular sugar is fermentable and acts as a food source for cavity-causing bacteria,” she told Fox News Digital.
“However, artificial sugars like aspartame are not fermentable, and therefore cavity-causing bacteria cannot use them as a food source.”
Although aspartame itself doesn’t directly harm the teeth, some dentists warn that other ingredients in the gum could cause tooth decay.
Sugar-free chewing gum contains ingredients such as carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid and fumaric acid, all of which are found in various diet sodas, Khan said.
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“All of these acids lower the pH in your mouth,” she said. “When your mouth’s pH falls below 5.5, your enamel demineralizes, the calcium and phosphate in your enamel weakens and breaks down, and your teeth erode.”
Tooth enamel helps to protect the teeth from dental decay, Khan said.
“The layer beneath, known as dentin, is less mineralized and more prone to decay due to its softer nature,” she added.
“Sugar and acid are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to tooth decay,” Dr. Sean Kutlay, a general dentist in Santa Clarita, California, confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“Any sugar-free gum is fine, as it stimulates more saliva, which helps to reduce the acidity of the mouth and prevent cavities, especially after a meal.”
While aspartame was recently deemed a possible carcinogen, Kutlay said the average person would need to ingest about 450 sticks of sugar-free gum to surpass the daily suggested limit.
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“A stick of gum after each meal chewed for 10 to 15 minutes will provide so much benefit for your oral health,” he said.
Aspartame-containing gum can also cause potential digestive health issues, which can indirectly impact oral health, according to Dr. Nicole Mackie, a dentist at the Dental Implant Specialty Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“This is because excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners like aspartame may not be able to be processed in the gut, leading to bloating, diarrhea and fatigue,” she explained to Fox News Digital.
Wrigley’s Extra Long Lasting Flavor Polar Ice, 15 sticks per package. Wrigley’s brand is owned by William Wrigley Jr. Company. (iStock)
While aspartame doesn’t cause tooth decay or cavities, dentists recommend opting for xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener found in plants, as a more beneficial sugar-free option.
“The reason xylitol is recommended is because cavity-causing bacteria cannot metabolize this sugar and use it as fuel, and it starves the cavity-causing bacteria and helps prevent tooth decay,” Khan said.
“It decreases cavity-causing bacteria, increases saliva production and helps remineralize teeth.”
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A 2021 study published in Clinical Oral Investigations found that chewing gum containing xylitol was shown to reduce plaque build-up on teeth.
Xylitol is an “excellent sweetener,” Kutlay agreed.
“In addition to sugar-free gum, it is also found in many toothpastes, mints and oral rinses aimed at reducing cavities and the bacteria that cause them,” he said.
A 2021 study published in Clinical Oral Investigations found that chewing gum containing xylitol was shown to reduce plaque build-up on teeth. (iStock)
In terms of caloric intake, xylitol contains less than half the calories of sugar, Khan said.
“Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so the amount of aspartame needed in products is minimal, much less than xylitol and sugar,” Khan explained.
One downside to xylitol is that it can cause gastrointestinal issues, like gas and bloating, if consumed in large amounts, Khan warned.
The recommended daily intake of xylitol for dental cavity prevention is 6 to 10 grams, experts say.
Multiple sclerosis is a life-changing diagnosis for one million people who are affected in the U.S. — but for a professional athlete, its physical limitations can seem particularly challenging.
Chris Wright, 34, the first person with MS to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), has been living with the disorder since his 2012 diagnosis.
For World MS Day on May 30, Wright and his neurologist, Dr. Heidi Crayton, joined Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview from Washington, D.C., to discuss how he’s come to terms with his MS and to share words of wisdom for others facing the diagnosis. (See the video at the top of this article.)
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Wright first experienced symptoms in 2012, he said, when he noticed tingling in his right foot while warming up for an overseas basketball game in Turkey.
“As I was shooting, I felt a tingling sensation in my right hand that eventually spread throughout my entire body within a matter of a minute,” he told Fox News Digital.
Chris Wright, 34, the first person with MS to play in the NBA, has been living with the disorder since his 2012 diagnosis. (Getty Images/Chris Wright)
His coaches sent him to a doctor, who told him to take the day off.
“The next morning I woke up, and I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t stand up. I couldn’t really use my limbs,” he recalled.
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Wright returned to the doctor, this time in a wheelchair.
“They sent me to a specialist, where I was quickly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.”
MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that can affect movement, vision, speech and other functions.
After going through several other doctors, Wright found Dr. Crayton, a board-certified neurologist who practices at the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Greater Washington.
Chris Wright of Bertram Derthona Basket Tortona in action during the LBA Lega Basket Series A Playoffs Semi-Final Game 3 match between Bertram Derthona Basket Tortona and Virtus Segafredo Bologna PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris on May 31, 2022, in Casale Monferrato, Italy. (Getty Images)
“What led me to her was her confidence and her ability to simplify what it meant to have MS and to make it manageable for me. [She] helped me understand that I could still go on with my career and my life in a way that I wanted to,” he said.
Crayton noted that the patient-doctor relationship is a “marathon, not a sprint.”
She told Fox News Digital, “It’s really important to find a doctor they can trust, who they can communicate with, who they can partner with to make decisions.”
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“You need a team of people who support you, love you and accept you.”
Less than a year after his diagnosis, Wright became the first person with MS to play in the NBA when he signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
“MS impacted my career tremendously, because there was nobody before me,” Wright told Fox News Digital.
“You need a team of people who support you, love you and accept you.”
“I had NBA offers that were retracted because of the possibility of me having medical conditions and just being in uncharted territory — but I kept working and overcame it.”
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Wright, a husband and father of three, is no longer playing basketball these days, but he is feeling healthy and enjoying life, he said.
“Living with MS, it looks good, it feels good — I feel great,” he said.
“I try to stay active. I try to stay healthy. I try to stay moving. And I’ve been able to keep myself healthy and continue to be a father and live my life the way I want to live.”
‘Badge of honor’
For all those facing a new diagnosis, Wright encouraged seeking out resources from people who have “walked these halls” before.
“There are people who understand what you’re going through, and it’s important to hear other stories and get a foundational knowledge of what your life will look like moving forward.”
After going through several other doctors, Wright found Dr. Crayton, pictured here, a board-certified neurologist who practices at the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Greater Washington. (Dr. Heidi Crayton)
Wright is involved with Express4MS, a campaign that encourages people with MS to express themselves, share their stories and discuss treatment options with their doctors.
“It’s just something you can put in your toolbox to find information, inspiration and motivation to live every day in a positive way,” Wright said.
“Walk with pride, and know that you’re going to be OK.”
“I would say to people: Stay with it, go through those tough times, figure out what works for you,” he said.
“Figure out how you can be successful at whatever it is you do.”
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Wright urges MS patients to look at the disease not as a hindrance, but as a “badge of honor.”
He said, “Walk with pride, and know that you’re going to be OK.”
Clayton advises her MS patients to “treat your body like a temple.”
Chris Wright of Bertram Derthona Basket Tortona in action during the LBA Lega Basket Serie A Playoffs Semi-Final Game 3 match between Bertram Derthona Basket Tortona and Virtus Segafredo Bologna PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris on May 31, 2022, in Casale Monferrato, Italy. (Getty Images)
“It will pay you back in spades if you can invest in your health — eat well, exercise, sleep,” she said.
While people with MS will always have bad days, Wright is focused on maintaining a positive outlook.
“As long as you’re above ground, you have an opportunity to make the most of it,” he said.
“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction — so whatever you put out there is the energy that’s going to come back.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
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Left to right, Karie Ryan, Michele Acito, Katelynn Blackburn and Lisbeth Votruba shared insights into the nursing profession with Fox News Digital. Two other nurses shared thoughts as well. (iStock/Karie Ryan/Michele Acito/Katelynn Blackburn/Lisbeth Votruba)
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You’ve likely felt your heart beating in your chest after strenuous activity — or have taken your pulse by placing your fingers on your wrist or neck.
A less common — and sometimes startling — sensation is to actually hear the “whooshing” sound of your heartbeat in your ears.
Fox News Digital reached out to two doctors to learn more about what causes this and whether it’s a cause for concern.
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Hearing your heartbeat in your ears — also known by the Latin name “pulsatile tinnitus” — isn’t always a sign of a medical problem, but it could warrant a discussion with your physician, according to Frederick James Meine, M.D., an interventional cardiologist with Novant Health in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Hearing your heartbeat in your ears — also known by the Latin name “pulsatile tinnitus” — isn’t always a sign of a medical problem. Still, it could warrant a discussion with your physician. (iStock)
“Many people hear it at one time or another, especially when they are lying down on their side,” Meine told Fox News Digital.
What causes the condition?
Hearing your heartbeat can be related to ear issues such as wax buildup, fluid in the ear or other hearing issues, Meine said.
The most common cause is Eustachian tube dysfunction. This is usually due to allergies, according to Jesus Lizarzaburu, M.D., a family physician with TPMG Grafton Family Medicine in Yorktown, Virginia.
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“The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of your nose, and when it is blocked or doesn’t open and close properly, it can cause the sound of your heartbeat to be heard in your ears,” he told Fox News Digital.
Another culprit could be earwax buildup, which can also cause a seal in the ear canal that makes the heartbeat easier to hear, Lizarzaburu added.
Elevated blood pressure is another cause, though less common.
Hearing your heartbeat can be related to ear issues such as wax buildup, fluid in the ear or other hearing issues, a doctor said. (iStock)
On rare occasions, medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), antibiotics, diuretics, chemotherapy medications, aspirin, certain antidepressants, quinine and antivirals can cause tinnitus, a ringing in the ears that is in rhythm with the heart rate, noted Lizarzaburu.
“Extremely rare causes would be an aneurysm (a bulge in a blood vessel in the brain) or a vascular tumor, which is made up of a collection of blood vessels,” he added.
When to seek medical attention
A thorough physical exam, including a blood pressure check and an examination of the carotid arteries in the neck, is an important part of gauging overall cardiovascular health, Meine advised.
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“In addition, ruling out anemia or hyperthyroidism, both of which could cause increased blood flow and possibly contribute to pulsatile tinnitus, could be evaluated with simple lab tests,” he said.
If someone experiences the condition intermittently, it is likely less worrisome, the doctor noted.
A thorough physical exam, including a blood pressure check and an examination of the carotid arteries in the neck, is an important part of gauging overall cardiovascular health, a doctor advised. (iStock)
“However, if it is persistent or new-onset, we would perform a complete history and physical exam,” he said.
From a cardiovascular perspective, if someone is experiencing pulsatile tinnitus or hearing their heartbeat in their own ears, Meine said it’s important to rule out any potential cardiovascular issues.
The doctor would also make sure the patient does not have a blockage or narrowing of the neck arteries, which could contribute to louder heart sounds in the ears and head, he said.
“I do want to stress that most of us occasionally hear our heartbeats in our heads and ears, especially when our heart rate is increased during exercise,” Meine said.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
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