Medical Daily (2/17, Bushak) reports that a study published in the British Dental Journal found that “chewing sugar-free gum could prevent tooth decay and a plethora of oral health problems — all while reducing the costs of dental treatments for the National Health Service (NHS) and families in the United Kingdom.” The study found that the NHS could save up to $9 million each year if all 12-year-olds in the UK chewed sugarless gum three times a day. The article reports that “previous research appears to back up the new findings.” For example, a study published in the journal PLOS ONE “found that chewing sugar-free gum removed up to 100 million bacteria in just 10 minutes.” The article adds that the American Dental Association notes the benefits of chewing sugarless gum while recommending people still maintain daily brushing and flossing.

The Daily Mail (2/12, Pickles) reports that the researchers said chewing sugarless gum can help break down lingering food, neutralize acids, and reduce the risk of decay.

In a University of Plymouth release carried on Science Daily (2/16), Professor Liz Kay of Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, and co-author of the study, said, “The findings of this study are hugely exciting as they reveal a new and easy way of helping people improve their oral health.”