Why You Should Chew Mastic Gum

If you’ve read our comprehensive article on jaw exercises, then you probably already know that the best possible gum to chew to improve your jawline is mastic gum—end of story. Consistently chewing mastic gum is perhaps the best, most accessible way to strengthen your masseter muscle, the one most responsible for the lower half of your face.

However, did you know that chewing mastic gum has many other significant health benefits besides just working out your masseter muscles? It’s just plain good for you to chew. It is an incredibly durable substance and will last you forever. It’s the original plant-based gum.  

What Is Mastic Gum?

Mastic is simply a plant resin from a mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) which is common in the Middle East and Greece. It’s been harvested for some 2,500 years since Greek Antiquity and was prized throughout history for being comparable to gold.

Sun-dried, the mastic softens when chewed and becomes white. The gum is known for its long-term durability. Although bitter on first taste, it softens and develops a pine-like flavor as you chew.

How Mastic Gum Benefits Your Health

Aside from exercising your jawline muscles, mastic gum has numerous other health benefits when chewed daily. This is why we can’t recommend any other kind of gum because this face workout gum is also incredibly healthy.

• Stops Cavities: unlike most other gum, mastic gum not only is sugarless but likely even prevents cavities altogether. A 2006 study published in the Archives of Oral Biology found that chewing daily was effective in preventing Streptococcus mutans, responsible for causing cavities. Other studies have concluded that its extract has antibacterial properties.
• Lessens indigestion: according to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, chewing daily resulted in significantly fewer indigestion symptoms like heartburn. For those that have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), mastic extract has been found to target the bacteria that cause the condition. Chewing also treats overall acid reflex.
• Prevents Yeast Infection: mastic is antifungal which means that it kills candida albicans (yeast infections) and other types of fungi.
• Control Inflammation: for those of us suffering from IBS, Crohn’s disease, and/or general inflammation of the throat, mouth or face, mastic gum functions much like a natural control against these symptoms.
• Fights against stomach ulcers: mastic gum has properties that go against Helicobacter pylori, possibly killing them and thus reducing the likelihood of gastric ulcers as proven by a 1998 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
• De-stressing: because the durable gum lasts so long, it remains a harmless way to relax or occupy the mind when you need it.
• No negative side-effects: one of the best parts about it is that it has no bad side effects. So chew away.

Modern medicine has only recently begun to understand the many beneficial properties of chewing daily, but they were written about almost two millennia ago by Pedanios Dioscorides in his book De Materia Medica in 70 AD.

Currently, mastic chewing gum has been experiencing a boom as a treatment option for those suffering from H. pylori bacterial infection. Since it contains a natural antimicrobial agent against H. pylori, it has been used as a traditional medicine against gastric symptoms for millennia in Turkey and ancient Greece. Mastic gum can today be taken as an over-the-counter supplement for stronger doses against H. pylori.

Best of all, it practically lasts forever. It’s really that durable. So chew to your heart’s content. It’s a great way to keep your mind occupied through healthy, repetitive activity. 

Mastic Gum Side Effects

There are none. Other than getting a sore jaw from chewing too much, of course. It’s perfectly safe to chew for as much as you like which is why many claim it has de-stressing properties.

The bottom line is that it has been a proven medicine for ages.

Mastic Gum Reviews: Our Top Picks

So, we’ve established that chewing daily is your best friend for working our your face muscles and even improves your overall health. Woah.

You might be wondering then: what’s the best mastic chewing gum? Luckily, there’s plenty of options. Here are our favorites.

• Greek Chios (Xios) by Chios Mastiha Growers Association: All-natural and you can chew this practically forever.
• ELMA Classic Chios Mastic Gum: The oldest chewing gum in the ancient world is really done justice by this top-quality mastic gum.
• Krinos Imported Mastic Gum: Another Greek option made purely of sun-dried mastic extract.

An Alternative: Falim Gum

It should be noted that a viable alternative for those who want long-lasting gum is Turkish Falim gum. It’s just as durable and comes in many flavors. Chewing Falim gum will not give you the many other health benefits of mastic gum, however, but will exercise your jawline all the same if chewed daily. It all comes down to your personal preference.

• Falim 100 Pieces Sugar-Free Chewing Gum: The Turkish variant that comes in many flavors like strawberry, mint, and watermelon. However, I would suggest mint or plain which has a mastic-like flavor.

Falim is 100% sugar-free and tooth-friendly, so chew to your heart’s content.

Do you chew mastic gum? Have another recommendation for durable gum well-suited for working out your jawline? Let us know in the comments.

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