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The
New York Times[1] recently noted a dentist who, after reopening in June, found something unusual: a daily stream of patients with cracked teeth. Her primary theory to explain what is going on is that there’s an uptick in nervous grinding of teeth as people faced the unprecedented circumstances of a disturbing year.
The dentist didn’t suggest chewing gum as a potential remedy, but I do.
Gum? Yes, and perhaps not just to avoid nervous stress during the pandemic. I recognize this is in defiance of many things we ve been taught. From a young age we’re trained to think things that taste good must be bad for us. Sugar-laden soda, for example, has a bad reputation for destroying teeth and contributing to obesity. While my training as a food and nutrition scientist keeps me thinking about the healthiest way to eat, I’m also human. The pandemic and associated lockdowns have made it harder to keep good habits and the extra pounds many of us have gained during this pandemic