Nitrate Chewing Gum Reduced Gum Bleeding in Small Clinical Trial

A small clinical trial has found that chewing gum containing nitrate can reduce symptoms of gum disease by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the mouth. Gum disease, known as gingivitis in its milder form, develops when plaque accumulates on teeth and causes inflammation and bleeding of the gums.

Standard prevention and treatment include brushing twice daily, flossing and using antibacterial mouthwash, though maintaining these habits consistently can be difficult.

If left untreated, the condition can advance to periodontitis, which may result in abscesses and tooth loss. Prior research has indicated that consuming nitrate-rich foods such as leafy greens and beetroot can reduce gum inflammation by supporting anti-inflammatory bacteria. Not everyone consumes these foods regularly.

To test an alternative delivery method, researchers recruited 30 adults with mild gum disease and randomly assigned them to chew either nitrate-enriched gum or a placebo gum that tasted the same. Participants chewed the assigned gum for at least 15 minutes three times a day over three weeks while continuing their usual oral hygiene routines and diets.

Gum bleeding was measured before and after the period by probing around every tooth with a small metal stick.

In the nitrate gum group, the percentage of probed sites that bled fell from 26 percent at the start of the study to 15 percent at the end. The group using gum without nitrate showed no reduction. Further analysis of saliva samples indicated that the nitrate gum increased levels of beneficial bacteria that convert nitrate into nitric oxide.

It also lowered the abundance of harmful plaque-forming bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis. The findings suggest that nitrate gum, when used alongside standard treatments, could provide a simple additional approach to managing gum disease symptoms. Larger studies are needed to determine how long the effects last and whether the gum can help treat more severe forms of the disease.