If you have a kid with braces, your pediatric dentist or orthodontist has probably warned them to stay away from chewing gum — and they’re probably looking forward to the day when the braces come off. While they wait for that exciting day, you can share with them the fascinating history of chewing gum, which historians believe has been around for at least 9,000 years.

In ancient Maya, gum-chewing was allowed in public only by children and single women, while married women, widows, and men were permitted to chew it only in private. The Mayans chewed chicle, which comes from the sapodilla tree. In fact, tree resin maintained its popularity for chewing for quite some time. Native Americans in North America chewed spruce tree resin, a practice Europeans adopted when they arrived in the Americas.  

The first commercial gum was developed in the 1840s from tree spruce resin that was boiled and cut into strips. Within ten years, the first chewing gum factory was created in Portland, ME. Meanwhile in New York, inventor Thomas Adams began experimenting with chicle from Mexico. He intended to invent an alternative to rubber, but instead made a type of chewing gum that was eventually sold widely in the U.S.

William Wrigley Jr. joined the chewing gum market in the late 1800s with his brands, Juicy Fruit and Wrigley’s Spearmint, and popularized it by sending free samples to potential customers. Frank Fleer pioneered bubble gum along with Walter Diemer who devised the formula for Dubble Bubble — a beloved product today.

If you have gum lovers in your family, your pediatric dentist may suggest you choose a sugar-free brand to keep your family’s teeth healthy and free from decay. Thanks to these early pioneers of chewing gum, you have plenty of options.

Pedodontic Associates on Oahu and Maui, HI, are the best pediatric dentists for your family. This team does more than care for your child’s smile. They make visiting the pediatric dentist fun for kids with a personalized coloring book and motivational charts that encourage dental care at home. To schedule an appointment, call the Aiea location at (808) 487-7933, Honolulu at (808) 735-1733 or Kahului at (808) 877-0066. You can also request an appointment at any location online today.