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    Can Chewing Gum Boost Exam Scores?

    FRIDAY, Dec. 9 (HealthDay News) -- You might want to break out the chewing gum before your next big test, a new study contends.

    The research, published in a recent issue of the journal Appetite, found that students who chewed gum for five minutes before taking a test got better marks than those who didn't chew gum.

    This boost in academic performance was due to "mastication-induced arousal," which lasted for about the first 20 minutes of the test, according to Serge Onyper, an assistant professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.

    Previous research has shown that any type of physical activity improves brain performance, but this study shows that even minor physical activity can do so.

    The benefits of chewing gum occurred only when it was done for five minutes before a test, not if it was done during the entire test. This may be because chewing and thinking conflict with each other, Onyper suggested in a university news release.

    More information

    Instead of relying on chewing gum, the Nemours Foundation offers tips for studying for tests.

     

    16 comments

    • Grey Lady  •  5 mths ago
      How about putting as much energy into studying as is put into hunting for gimicks.
    • wipemy****  •  Bellevue, United States  •  5 mths ago
      Chewing gum helps especially when you used it to stash cheat sheets under the desk the day before!
    • Brent  •  5 mths ago
      There was also a study which recommends studying very hard to be able to get good scores in exams.
    • Jamie  •  5 mths ago
      Hmm interesting ;)
    • Mary Jane Parker  •  New York, United States  •  5 mths ago
      I might try this out. The Mastication muscles, are associated the Facial Nerve... maybe they are saying there is more focus?
    • P-47 THUNDERBOLT  •  5 mths ago
      I also noticed (back when I was in school) cheating boosted scores.
    • AlexanderO  •  5 mths ago
      Was the gum spearmint? Mint increases concentration.
    • Gemini  •  5 mths ago
      Yeah, my thirteen-year-old son really needs to read this article. I can hear him now. "Mom, I don't need to study for my finals. I got gum!"
    • Sam  •  5 mths ago
      Sugar or caffeine will help with recall when taking a test but NOT when memorizing or studing before a test. It worked for me in nursing school.
    • Micah S  •  5 mths ago
      Only if you bring one for every person in the class and trade them for answers.
    • Alex K  •  New Haven, United States  •  5 mths ago
      This isn't a "new study" ... I read about this same exact thing a couple years ago. Jeez, why can't money go towards USEFUL studies?
    • Alex  •  5 mths ago
      Brought to you by PK Wrigley.
    • 24x7  •  5 mths ago
      Can chewing gum help me to write the best comment for this article?
    • LP  •  5 mths ago
      I have had teachers all throughout High School and College offer some sort of candy or food before the test. It was spearmint candy in high school, and as recently as last month a teacher brought in Banana Nut Bread with Chocolate. I guess the food gets better when you are paying 1500 per class rather than 5 bucks lol.
    • LP  •  5 mths ago
      BTW its not just any gum, its spearmint gum that works the best.
    • A Yahoo! user  •  5 mths ago
      It didn't help me much when I took the GRE. The idiot next to me was chewing so loud and making popping sounds that it was hard for anyone around him to concentrate on the exam.
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