Chewing bubble gum can cause migraines in children and teenagers, a latest study shows.
Researchers at Meir Medical Center, affiliated with the Tel Aviv University, studied 30 participants aged between 6 and 19. All the participants had the habit of chewing gum from at least one hour to six hours per day.
Researchers asked participants to discontinue chewing gum for a month. The results showed that 26 of those studied, reported improvement in migraines after they gave up chewing gum. Of these 26 participants, 19 said their tension headache problem was resolved.
The team then told the 26 participants to start chewing gum again. Researchers found that tension headaches and migraines re-appeared in this group.
The study authors are unclear about the link between chewing gums and migraines. However, according to one theory, chewing bubble gum gives more stress on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is the meeting point between the jaw and the skull.
"Every doctor knows that overuse of the TMJ will cause headaches," said Dr. Watemberg said in press release. "I believe this is what's happening when children and teenagers chew gum excessively."
Previous study shows that the artificial sweetener, aspartame, which is commonly present in sugar-free products, can cause migraines. But, Watemberg explained that the amount of aspartame in chewing gum is too low to cause this side effect. Researchers advised the teenagers and children to quit chewing gum if they suffer from migraines and headaches. Also, doctors can help these youngsters with quick and effective treatment, without any need of expensive medical treatment.
The study was published in Pediatric Neurology.
