Chewing gum facts for kids
Chewing gum is a type of candy flavored with natural sugar or artificial sweeteners and also flavors such as mint. People chew gum for personal enjoyment and also to help clean teeth. Before it is chewed, the gum comes either soft and chewy or hard and then softens in your mouth.
Contents
History
Chewing gum has already been invented many years ago from spruce sap and beeswax. The first real gum has been sold two years before flavored ones became popular. 30 years after, in 1880 chewing gums tasted for a longer time. After this many famous brands started inventing ways to improve or adding flavor to the chewing gum to make it like it is today.
Types
Stick Gum
- In a stick form
- In different flavors but mostly in refreshing ones
Bubble gum
- Is the best gum to make bubbles with
- In many fruit flavors
- Mostly common in cubes
Jawbreaker Gum
- In small hard shape (mostly sphere) with a soft center
Functional Gum
- They have medical function
- It has vitamins or different minerals in it
Nicotine Gum
- It tries to help people stop smoking
- It gives old smokers something to do instead of smoking
- It contains a small amount of nicotin
Effects
Health
The effects of chewing gum on the health are different. Sugar free chewing gum is sometimes recommended by dentists, because it can clean the teeth. Chewing gum which contains sugar can, depending on the kind of sugar, harm the teeth. Gum can help to avoid snacks.
Environment
The new version of chewing gum has environmental effects, because it cannot rot easily. Also it is hard to clean up when it is sticking somewhere.
Other
According to studies, chewing gum can have a good effect on the concentration. There are many other effects on people coming from different new invented chewing gums like dry mouth gum or energy gum.
Images for kids
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Sticks of Fruit Stripe chewing gum
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Traditional extraction of chicle from chicozapote tree (Achras zapota) in Quintana Roo, Mexico. This way of extracting by making zigzag incisions is known since ancient Mayan civilization who call it sicté.
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Chewing gum balls
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Bubblegum bubble
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Gumdrop chewing gum collecting bin
See also
In Spanish: Goma de mascar para niños
