Seal of Approval
Do 4 out of 5 Dentists Really Recommend Chewing Gum?
We’ve all seen the commercials: An attractive spokesperson holds up a pack of gum and happily boasts, “4 out of 5 dentists recommend our brand!” This is surely bogus, right? Everyone knows sugar is bad for your teeth, so why would dentists ever recommend chewing gum? It may be because that particular gum doesn’t actually contain any sugar. Candies like caramels and lollipops are public enemy No. 1 when it comes to tooth health, but many types of chewing gum contain non-cavity- causing sweeteners like aspartame, sorbitol, or mannitol. Because of the absence of sugar, chewing gum can be surprisingly good for your teeth. The act of chewing increases your mouth’s flow of saliva. This may sound a little gross, but saliva helps break down the food you eat, neutralizing the enamel-destroying acid produced by bacteria in plaque. When you chew gum after meals, you actively help combat harmful oral bacteria. Clinical studies have found that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help prevent tooth decay. Other studies suggest that gum may also help remineralize teeth, reduce decay and plaque, and prevent or even reverse gingivitis.
How do you know if you are buying sugary candy or cavity-fighting super gum? Check the label for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. The ADA Seal is awarded to companies or products that are able to produce “scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of its product, which the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs carefully evaluates according to objective requirements.” Basically, if companies can prove their product helps your teeth in some way, their product may earn a seal of approval. Chewing gum cannot replace regular brushing and flossing, but it can help protect your teeth between brushings. If you want to see if your favorite gum is helping you prevent cavities, check out the full list of sugarless gums that have been awarded the ADA Seal at MouthHealthy.org/en/ ada-seal-products.
From the Ministry of Silly Band Names Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist
Laugh Corner
Have you ever heard a song on the radio you really liked, only to look it up later and discover the artist is behind several other songs you’ve enjoyed over the years? That was my experience after listing to the song “Walk on the Ocean” on the radio. I remember thinking, “I really like this sound. Who are these guys?” Turns out, “these guys” were an alternative rock group called Toad the Wet Sprocket. The band formed in 1986 with Glen Phillips on guitar and lead vocals, Randy Guss on drums, Todd Nichols on guitar, and Dean Dinning on bass. They’d all attended San Marcos High School just outside Santa Barbara, California. Their first public appearance was an open-mic contest. Though they didn’t win, Toad the Wet Sprocket would go on to enjoy mainstream success and release a number of platinum albums, including “Fear” and “Dulcinea.”
out, that’s by design. The name comes from a Monty Python comedy sketch in which a news journalist reads a nonsensical report about the lead electrical trianglist of a fictional band called Toad the Wet Sprocket. Eric Idle, the man who wrote the sketch, claimed, “I was trying to think of a name that would be so silly nobody would ever use it, or dream it could ever be used.” As the real band got ready for their first gig, they still didn’t have a name and decided to temporarily use Toad the Wet Sprocket as a reference to the Monty Python sketch. Phillips would later call the band name “a joke that went on too long.” Silly names aside, I really do enjoy their sound. There’s a lot of acoustic rock in their songs and they blend it with their lyrics really well. I can’t think of a better soundtrack to close out summer than Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Rock band names can be pretty weird, but Toad the Wet Sprocket takes the crown for ridiculous. Turns
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