Mostschools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing tha-组卷网

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Most schools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help boost your test scores.

This exciting research is just beginning. And in the meantime, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath. Many studies have shown that chewing gum after meals can stimulate the production of saliva (唾液). Saliva helps wash away bacteria (细菌) that damage our teeth.

Nutritionist Gil Leveille, executive director of the Wrigley Science Institute, says that chewing gum might also be good for your brain. One Japanese study of nine participants, found that chewing gum boosted the flow of blood to participants’ brains by up to 40 percent. Blood carries oxygen, which fuels brain cells.

Other small studies have found that people perform better on memory tests while chewing gum. And a study in the United Kingdom found that people who chewed gum while memorizing a list of words did about 25 percent better at recalling those words than people who didn’t chew gum.

“It certainly makes sense,” Leveille says, “that increased blood flow would be related to increased alertness.”

“Additional studies, with longer follow-up, are needed to confirm that chewing gum has benefits, ”he adds. So far, results of studies about memory have been mixed. What’s more, many of the studies that show gum’s benefits are funded by gum companies. “Too much chewing can damage the jaw joint,” warns Gayl Canfield, a researcher at the Pritikin Longevity Centre. “What’s more, no matter how healthy gum chewing proves to be,” she adds, “it will never be a match for a healthy lifestyle.”

【小题1】What is the new finding of chewing gums?