What don't you know about chewing gum?

Recently, on the first of February, we celebrated National Chewing Gum Day. See if you know these fun facts about chewing gum.

Chewing gum was invented in the 1850s, and it gained real popularity twenty years later. The need to chew, however, is much older. In many countries we can also find various traditions or practices associated with this refreshing treat. Many people cannot imagine a day without chewing their favourite gum. It is estimated that 222 million packs of it are sold annually in Poland, which is an average of 608,000 pieces a day. Not all consumers are aware, however, that sugar-free gum also helps take care of your dental health. Every year on 1 February, National Chewing Gum Day is celebrated around the world.

See what secrets this unassuming product holds.

1. The first chewing gums looked like brown lumps of resin.

The history of gum in a nutshell

In the 1870s, chewing gum was popularised by an American – Thomas Adams – and it looked just like lumps of resin. William Wrigley, Jr. was one of the first to add peppermint extract to it. The Wrigley's Spearmint brand entered the market in 1893, and its refreshing taste became so popular that in 1914 a "more minty" version appeared – Doublemint.

2. Japanese gums differ from European ones

Surprising traditions from around the world

Japanese consumers, for example, have their own specific expectations about this product. They like a very wide range of flavours and textures, as well as unusual effects accompanying chewing (e.g. tongue numbness).

3. Chewing gum in Turkey

It is strongly rooted as a tradition after eating a meal. In many restaurants, a refreshing gum pellet is brought with the bill, but you won't get one after dinner. Chewing gum after sunset is considered there to be a bad omen.

4. Chewing gum in culture

Gum in culture and art

Fun facts about chewing gum – what is worth knowing?

In modern times, this product has gained incredible popularity, becoming not only part of the daily routine of millions of people around the world, but also an inspiration for creators and an inseparable cultural element. A decade ago, the king of pop music – Justin Timberlake – sang about chewing gum. Meanwhile, Maurizio Savigny, an Italian sculptor, was fascinated by chewing gum to such an extent that he began creating his works from it – bright pink little figures, animals and portraits of celebrities. He bought gum for his first sculptures in shops and chewed it himself until it reached the desired consistency. Currently, in the United States there are also improvised "monuments" to chewing gum: in the north in Seattle and in the south in San Luis Obispo. These are walls on which anyone can stick their gum – becoming themselves a co-creator of this unconventional "work".

5. Millions of chewing gums

Without a doubt, chewing gum is known and liked all over the world. At the Mars Wrigley factory in Poznań alone, 65 million gum pellets are produced every day, which reach consumers in as many as 37 countries around the world. They are chewed by residents of, among others, French Polynesia, Dubai, Ecuador and Sierra Leone. In Poznań, almost 24 billion pieces of chewing gum are made in a single year, mainly mint, which accounts for as much as 80% of production.

6. Chewing sugar-free gum – one of the 4 steps for clean and healthy teeth

Chewing gum helps rinse away food remnants by stimulating saliva production. It also neutralises acids produced by plaque bacteria and reduces the risk of tooth decay. In 2022, research by the British King's College also proved that using sugar-free gum reduces the amount of plaque formed in adults and helps improve the condition of tooth enamel. Here are the 4 steps to healthy teeth:

  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day
  • Use additional accessories to clean the spaces between teeth
  • When we are unable to brush our teeth after eating or drinking, dentists from scientific societies around the world recommend reaching for sugar-free chewing gum
  • Regular check-up visits to the dentist

7. Fun facts about the biggest chewing gum company

After taking over Warren Buffett's Wrigley empire, it is MARS Incorporated that makes the most chewing gum. It is a private family company with over a hundred years of tradition, which produces products known and liked by our consumers: chocolate products (including MARS®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®), chewing gums and mints (ORBIT®, WINTERFRESH®, AIRWAVES®) and pet food (PEDIGREE®, CHAPPI®, ROYAL CANIN®, SHEBA®, WHISKAS®, PERFECT FIT®). The company's motto is the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today.

Summary

Chewing gum has a long history and many non-obvious uses – from tradition to art. The Japanese value unusual textures, and in Turkey chewing after sunset is considered a bad omen. At the Mars Wrigley factory in Poznań, 65 million pellets are produced every day, which reach 37 countries.

Interestingly, research by the British King's College from 2022 confirmed that chewing sugar-free gum reduces plaque and improves the condition of tooth enamel. It is one of four oral hygiene steps recommended by dentists.