Does Whitening Chewing Gum Work?

Not like you think.

The “whitening” title in chewing gum gives the perception that your teeth will whiten. This gum simply contains abrasives or slippery ingredients that make external stains easier to remove with brushing. Chewing gum does NOT change the actual internal color of the teeth. 

One study shows using whitening chewing gum after a staining encounter (drinking coffee or smoking) along with brushing and flossing regularly will assist in removing stains easier.

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Order of Whitening Effectiveness

Here is the order of effective whitening practices from most to least effective:

1. Whitening trays sold at dental offices

2. Whitening trays OTC

3. Whitening toothpaste

4. Whitening mouthwash

5. Whitening chewing gum

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Benefits of Chewing Gum

Chewing gum removes debris and stimulates saliva. Gum containing xylitol actually starves the bacteria that forms cavities. Ideally chew gum three times a day for 20 minutes for that to be effective.

Chew gum because of those benefits; however, we don’t suggest buying chewing gum labeled for teeth whitening–-you will have better success watching water boil.