Taking a break from chewing gum for headache relief

What the research says

Research leans supportive

• Gum-Chewing and Headache: An Underestimated Trigger of Headache Pain in Migraineurs? (2015)

  A review of clinical literature suggested that gum-chewing may trigger headache attacks in patients with migraine or tension-type headache, though not in non-migraineurs. The authors advised that individuals with migraine or tension-type headache consider limiting or avoiding gum-chewing.

• The influence of excessive chewing gum use on headache frequency and severity among adolescents. (2014)

  In a study of 30 adolescents with chronic headache and excessive gum-chewing, stopping gum use for 1 month resulted in significant headache improvement in 26 patients, including full resolution in 19. When 20 patients reinstituted gum chewing, all 20 experienced a relapse of headache symptoms within days.

• Temporomandibular Disorders, Bruxism and Headaches. (2024)

  Temporomandibular disorders can generate secondary headache symptoms and frequently co-occur with primary headache disorders. This study provides indirect mechanistic context regarding jaw disorders and headaches, without evaluating gum-chewing cessation directly.

• Temporomandibular disorders in migraine and tension-type headache patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis. (2024)

  A systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that the risk of temporomandibular disorders was significantly higher in patients with migraine (OR: 3.79) and tension-type headache (OR: 4.45) compared to controls. As an indirect investigation of jaw-joint disorders and headaches, it did not assess gum chewing.