A clinical trial compared the effects of two kinds of chewing gum PeopleImages/Shutterstoc​k People with gum disease could soon benefit from chewing gum containing nitrate, a compound that reduces the growth of inflammatory bacteria. Gum disease, known as gingivitis in its milder form, occurs when a thin film of bacteria, known as plaque, accumulates on teeth, causing inflammation and bleeding in the gums. Brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning between them with floss or interdental brushes and using antibacterial mouthwash can help to prevent or treat the condition, but this isn’t always easy to do consistently, says Shawn Green at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in West Carson, California. Left untreated, the condition can progress to a more severe form, known as periodontitis, which can lead to mouth abscesses and tooth loss. Prior studies suggest that eating nitrate-rich foods, such as leafy greens and beetroot, reduces gum inflammation by enhancing the growth of anti-inflammatory bacteria – but not everyone has access to, or enjoys eating, such foods, says Green. To test an alternative way to …