22.5 million people between the ages of 8-15 chew gum (My BB, 2011). The amount chewed gum by ages 8-15 is 45 million sticks, the amount of total gum chewed approximately 60 million sticks of gum per day out of 300 millions people worldwide (My BB, 2011). I think we should be able to chew gum in school. There are many positive mental and physical heath benefits for chewing gum in school.

Chewing gum dates back through centuries (Hunter, 2011). The Greeks chewed a resin called mastice from a mastice tree (Hunter, 2011). Native Americans chewed on a resin cut from the black spruce tree (Hunter, 2011). They introduced chewing gum to the American settlers (Hunter, 2011). The first known bubble gum was introduced in 1906, was a dud (Hunter, 2011). In 1928, an accountant, Walter Diemer, invented an improved version of bubble gum (Hunter, 2011). The only food coloring he had was pink (Hunter, 2011). So for many years the common color of bubble gum was pink (Hunter, 2011). The Fleer Company purchased the recipe, and called it Dubble Bubble (Hunter, 2011). By World War II the sales of bubble gum in the United States reached about 4.5 million dollars (Hunter, 2011). In 1848, John Curtis and his brothers created the first commercial chewing gum in Maine (Hunter, 2011). If we were allowed to chew gum in school then we would be able to keep the tradition alive in Maine.

There are many positive benefits on chewing gum. One of them is that its cleans your teeth after meals (Hunter, 2011). Chewing gum after a meal increases the saliva flow, along with agitation of the gum against the teeth (Hunter, 2011). The gum and the saliva helps clean away the food particles from the teeth (Hunter, 2011). Increasing the saliva flow can also relive Acid Reflux (Hunter, 2011). These are the things that cause Acid Reflux: fried and fatty foods, tomatoes and tomato-based products, large meals, citrus fruits and juices, wearing tight fitting clothing. It also can help with bad breath (Hunter, 2011). If one of your students had bad breath you could give them a piece of gum.

Another way it can help is mentally. Two institutions in the United Kingdom, the University of North Umbria in New Castle and the Cognitive Research Unit in Reading, found that chewing gum has a positive effect on cognitive tasks such as memory and thinking ability (Smith, 2010). If they study for a test they will ace it. Chewing mint flavored gum will wake the body up helping pay attention in class (Hunter, 2011). Cognitive performances in range of memory tests was attributed to an increased heart rate, coupled with a surge of insulin (Smith, 2010).

According to the National Association of Chewing Gum Manufacturers, a trade organization, chewing gum offers several benefits, freshens breath, helps stay alert and awake, helps concentration, moistens mouth, cleans teeth after meals (Hunter, 2011). One student, name has not been released, has said it has helped him concentrate. Students, sign my petition so we are able to chew gum in school.















Resources
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Smith, Andrew. "Effects of chewing gum on cognitive function, mood and physiology in stressed and
non-stressed volunteers." Nutritional Neuroscience 13.1 (2010): 7-16. Academic Search
Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Mar. 2011.

Hunter, Beatrice Trum. "The Evolution of Chewing Gum." Consumers' Research Magazine
86.10
(2003): 18-23. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Mar. 2011.


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