Gum: Not so Dumb? | Teen Ink

Gum: Not so Dumb? MAG

October 27, 2010
By Selah BRONZE, Knoxville, Tennessee
Selah BRONZE, Knoxville, Tennessee
4 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang the best. -Henry Van Dyke


Schools around the country ban gum, but recent studies may help once again give gum a good name. Research has concluded that gum chewing has many health benefits and contributes to a positive learning environment. Given this, bringing gum back into schools should be a no-brainer.

Gum chewing has been proven to increase concentration in students. A study in the United Kingdom discovered that people who chewed gum while memorizing a list of words did 25 percent better than those who were not chewing. In Japan, an experiment with nine participants found that chewing gum boosted blood flow to the brain by up to 40 percent. Increased blood flow means increased oxygen to the brain, and increased oxygen means increased concentration.

It makes sense that increased blood flow would be related to enhanced alertness, says nutritionist Gil Leveille. The consistent motion of chewing has also been connected to a more peaceful classroom. The motion is thought to relieve stress and free students to focus on their schoolwork more efficiently and with less distraction. This is especially true if students are plagued by attention deficit disorder (ADD) or simply have difficulty concentrating. Given the chance, gum could turn out to be a strong asset to the classroom.

Gum is not only beneficial to learning, but also helpful in weight management and digestion. Recent studies have shown that chewing gum could help fight obesity in children and teens. And with obesity rates in America higher than they have ever been, this is huge. After research and experiments, the University of Liverpool concluded that chewing gum can greatly reduce calorie intake. This is thought to be accomplished in two ways: Gum reduces hunger cravings, and keeps one's mouth occupied. Nobody likes to eat while chewing gum, so unnecessary snacking is reduced. The act of chewing may also aid in digestion by increasing the flow of saliva. When saliva is swallowed, it stops the reflux of acid back into the throat. Acid reflux in children and teens has grown exponentially in the past few years. It is considered one of the leading causes of esophageal cancer, which is also on the rise in this age group. Anything that could aid in solving this problem could save lives. Gum has great potential to do good.

With all these benefits, why do some schools continue to ban it? They claim that gum can degrade school property. Students have been known to stick it under desks and other places when they are done chewing. Well, if students were allowed to chew gum they would not be fearful of properly disposing of it. Currently students who chew gum do so against the rules, and so must hide the evidence. If students could chew gum without getting in trouble, destruction of school property would probably decrease.

So, come on, schools! What are you waiting for? To continue to ban gum in the face of all these benefits is to purposefully ignore its advantages. Gum has much to offer the classroom and our lives.



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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 32 comments.


on May. 19 2014 at 6:27 pm
Aspartame has nothing bad in it! Aspartame is found in ALL food.

bri_123 said...
on Mar. 19 2014 at 10:36 am
right! I BARELY EVEN WANTED 2 COMMENT  

Bleachfan1 said...
on Sep. 22 2012 at 8:57 pm
After reading this article i opened a new pack of gum. Best piece I've ever had...

AriShine GOLD said...
on Jul. 18 2012 at 12:52 pm
AriShine GOLD, Norcross, Georgia
13 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Whatever you are, be a good one." -Abraham Lincoln

I like your article, and I see your points. I would have liked to see your sources, though.

on Jan. 2 2012 at 3:52 pm
ForeverSweetheart GOLD, Safford, Arizona
17 articles 1 photo 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Babe, do what you have to do." -- Ryan M.
"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells." -- Dr. Seuss
"Put him in the taffy puller!"
"Taffy puller?!"
"Hey! That was my idea!" -- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Yum. Chemical.

on Dec. 23 2011 at 12:25 pm
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

How did you know my nickname!?! (Question for the world: why did they take the iterobang out of punctuation?)

Selah BRONZE said...
on Dec. 22 2011 at 9:36 pm
Selah BRONZE, Knoxville, Tennessee
4 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang the best. -Henry Van Dyke

ouch harsh

on Dec. 21 2011 at 4:48 pm
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

No, I was using the metaphor of Tom and Jerry to refer to pain.

Selah BRONZE said...
on Dec. 21 2011 at 4:26 pm
Selah BRONZE, Knoxville, Tennessee
4 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang the best. -Henry Van Dyke

Thank you! Your comment is highly valid. I included the word "probably" because that statement was merely guess work on my part. Unlike the rest of the editorial, I had no real proof except commen sense to back-up my opinion. Still, I do agree that it weakens the argument.

(Do they say "Probably" in Tom and Jerry?)  :)


on Dec. 20 2011 at 10:28 am
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

Like it. But I have a tinsey problem. In your counter argument paragraph (i.e. the second-to-last one) you put the word "probably" in front of the word "decrease", making your argument a bad one. "Probably" is a turn-off. I was getting all excited reading this article and wanting gum for your school and then "probably" was like being stuck in the middle of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. My advice: take "probably out.

on Dec. 20 2011 at 10:28 am
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

Whoops! That was supposed to be a new comment.

on Dec. 20 2011 at 10:27 am
camohunter19 GOLD, Sedro-Woolley, Washington
14 articles 13 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." "Violence is never the answer! It is a question, and the answer is yes."

Like it. But I have a tinsey problem. In your counter argument paragraph (i.e. the second-to-last one) you put the word "probably" in front of the word "decrease", making your argument a bad one. "Probably" is a turn-off. I was getting all excited reading this article and wanting gum for your school and then "probably" was like being stuck in the middle of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. My advice: take "probably out.

on Sep. 14 2011 at 11:50 am
StephanieY BRONZE, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments
I really like this!

Annie Marie said...
on May. 8 2011 at 6:57 pm
there is no gum that doesn't have aspartame other than stuff you order off the internet or bubble gum...

Annie Marie said...
on May. 5 2011 at 9:37 am

Gum has aspartame....

Google aspartame and then tell me you still think gum is a good idea.


on Mar. 25 2011 at 6:15 pm
inspiredbytheworld BRONZE, Rockford, Michigan
3 articles 5 photos 30 comments
I loved this article! It included excellent points and obvious research; a lot of though was obviously put into this. It would be an excellent argument toward allowing gum in schools. I especially agree that if people were allowed to chew gum freely, then there would be less destruction of school property.

on Feb. 27 2011 at 7:26 pm
pianoman95 BRONZE, Eatonville, Washington
4 articles 1 photo 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only dependable thing about the future is uncertainty.

Yeah I get hungrier while chewing gum too. I heard that it was because chewing the gum tricks the stomach into thinking that food is on the way, so it gets all the acid and stuff working but theres nothing to break down, so it just upsets your stomach more and makes you hungrier. Great article!!

cindy x. said...
on Feb. 16 2011 at 11:20 pm

I agree with every thing you said, but at the same time kids could abuse the privilege. There are some different gums that have extra caffine and also kids could ruin school property too. I love gum though so i have nothing against this article. 

P.S. brodrick, I think it would be awesome if gum fell from the sky, just like in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!!!


on Feb. 9 2011 at 12:18 pm

i agree with your poem because teachers act like gum can kill you at my school but kids still chew it like its nothing.......gum is so good i wish barak obama would make a speech about gum in school and officially let us chew it........

P.S. i hope all kinds of flavors of gum just fall out of the sky at any moment

 


on Feb. 7 2011 at 5:36 pm
eileentotheleft BRONZE, Los Alamos, New Mexico
4 articles 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Perfectly perfect is fine (or so the story goes), but nature left all on her own will make the perfect rose." -Persnickity

This article is funny and refreshing. Love it. Thanks :)