But before your child or adolescent grabs that pack of gum, you may want to suggest a mint or an alternative option for their sweet tooth, especially if they are prone to headaches.

What the Research Says

Research suggests that gum-chewing is a potential headache trigger for children and adolescents. The good news is that stopping it may stop the headaches.

In one study in Pediatric Neurology, 19 of 30 children (between the ages of 6 and 19) had their headaches—mostly chronic migraines— resolve once they stopped chewing gum, which they had identified as a trigger. An additional seven of the 30 children also had partial improvement of their chronic headaches.

Why Does Gum Chewing Cause Headaches?

More than likely, gum chewing imposes a burden on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), causing headaches. The TMJ allows your jaw to move properly so you can chew, swallow, and speak. The muscles and joint capsule that surround the TMJ contain nerves that are the likely main source of TMJ-related pain.

Other theories of how chewing gum may trigger headaches include:

Exposure to the artificial sweetener, aspartame, in chewing-gumEmotional stress

Other Habits That May Affect the TMJ

Other habits, similar to excessive gum chewing, may provoke TMJ-related symptoms—especially if done for more than three hours daily. These include:

Nail-bitingLeaning your chin on your handChewing iceTeeth grindingBiting on a pen or other objectLip biting

So if gum chewing is a trigger for your child’s headaches, these may be as well.

If your child’s TMJ is inflamed or the muscles surrounding the TMJ are in spasm from gum chewing, they may also experience these symptoms in addition to a headache:

Jaw painLimited range of motion of the jawNeck pain or stiffnessClicking sound heard when moving the joint/jawDifficulty opening your mouth

Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Just as an aside, if your child does chew gum, please be sure they are of an appropriate age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that gum not be given to children who are too young to understand that they shouldn’t swallow it, or to any child under 4 years old.

Repeated swallowing of gum may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, mouth ulcers, dental and jaw issues, and even abdominal tract blockage.

A Word From Verywell

Keeping a headache diary for your child may be helpful in understanding whether gum is triggering headaches and why your child chews gum. For instance, is your child chewing gum out of boredom? Or hunger? Or stress? If your child is a teenager, they may be able to keep their own diary.

If you suspect chewing gum is playing a role in your child’s headaches, you may want to consider encouraging them to discontinue the habit to see if this stops or improves their headaches. Talking with your pediatrician or child’s neurologist would also be a good idea if you suspect this trigger.