In the Soviet Union, chewing gum appeared in the second half of the seventies, then it began to be produced in several confectionery factories. The fact that there was domestic chewing gum on the shelves completely crossed out all previous assurances about its harmfulness and harmfulness to health. Consumers of the Chuving Gama ceased to tease with "ruminants."
It’s impossible to say that this product didn’t exist in the country at all, it was brought by sailors and other citizens who, by the nature of their activity, were abroad, it was the best gift for almost any child who grew up behind the Iron Curtain, and he also cost inexpensively. The chewing gum was also sold by speculators in all places where it was possible, and in the post-war years, American sailors generously treated the children with ships with cargo of humanitarian aid from the international Red Cross to "feel the gum", however, most often they threw this curiosity at the ground and photographed kids crawling in the dust.
Chewing gum later became a symbol of the Western lifestyle, along with Marlboro cigarettes, jeans and rock band records. Back in the seventies, children collected entire collections of wrappers from her, in which there were rare and widespread specimens.
It is logical to assume that the harm of chewing gum was greatly exaggerated, since there were no real cases of people who were ill from its use, but they have been chewing it for a long time. Actually, people have been in the habit of grinding something in their mouths for hundreds of years, but the industrial production of elastic-plastic and stretching sweet masses began in the 70s of the XIX century in the North American States. And before they just didn’t take their teeth — with tar, and tobacco, and seeds, all over the world. Sometimes this chewing gum was useful, and sometimes harmful.
Chewing gum with the similarities of packaging, smell and taste in recent decades has changed. Instead of the familiar “Bubble Gum” or “Chewing Gum” words, the word “Sugarfree” appeared on packs and labels, meaning the product was made without sugar. How good this is, time will tell, because the harm of sugar for teeth and the safety of its substitutes for the whole organism are doubtful. Nevertheless, the composition of chewing gum has become different than before, only the main ingredient - Gum Base, that is, the rubber base, has been preserved. The requirements for the base are quite strict, it should not stick to the teeth, should not be too hard, but not too soft and maintain such properties throughout the entire storage period.
As for the successes of chemical science, they are indisputable, and this fully applies to flavoring additives. Peppermint becomes “more minty", and fruit is even more "fruitier". How good this is, the general public, again, is unknown.
Numerous commercials creatively promote the idea that chewing gum can be a guarantee of a snow-white smile, you just need to open the treasured pack after drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Mysterious, but the best dentists insistently argue that such teeth and caries do not care, and to prove their words they knock on them with a rather weighty dental tool. However, it should be remembered that the use of chewing gum does not give a therapeutic effect, but it is still better to clean your mouth with an ordinary brush, in the old fashioned way.