So last Thursday I’m sitting in my kitchen staring at that annoying pack of gumsticks someone left at the BBQ. You know the ones – looks like fancy erasers. People kept nagging: “Try Gumhead! Good for focus! Blah blah!” Honestly? Sounded like hype. But fine. Challenge accepted. Grabbed the purple one because why not.
My Stupid Simple Trial Run
First, just popped it in. Chewed like regular gum for like, two minutes. Texture’s weird. Not juicy. Kinda tough rubber. Almost spit it out immediately. Tasted faintly… lavender? Plastic lavender? Weird. Thought it was a bust already.
Then I remembered the whole “let it rest between teeth” thing people yapped about. Okay, fine. Stopped chewing like a cow. Just let the damn thing sit between my molars, kinda gently resting there. Not biting hard. Not sucking. Just… existing. Felt kinda stupid just sitting there with my jaw not moving. Started scrolling through my phone.
The Weird Part That Actually Clicked
Maybe 10 minutes later? I’m reading some dumb argument in a group chat, getting annoyed. Normally I’d grab chips or something. Or chew my pen cap to splinters. This time? Nah. That Gumhead lump was just… there. Noticed my jaw was totally relaxed. Like, I wasn’t clenching? Big surprise because anxiety makes me grind my teeth constantly. The dentist yells at me.
Went back to my work email. Drafting some boring report. Usually takes forever because I keep checking Twitter or scratching my neck. This time? Weirdly, I just… wrote. Knocked out three paragraphs straight. Didn’t zone out once. The urge to fidget just… shrank. Like my brain had this quiet anchor. It wasn’t magic focus juice – still had to try to write – but that distracting need to move my mouth? Gone.
What Actually Stuck With Me (Besides the Gum)
Tried it all week now. Mostly after lunch, when the slump hits. Here’s the stuff nobody tells you:
- Forgetting You Chew: Sounds dumb, but best moments happen when you stop trying to use it. You just get busy, and realize your jaw is loose and you haven’t crushed your molars to dust.
- No Flavor Rollercoaster: Doesn’t blast you with mint, then turn gross. Taste is subtle and disappears fast. Stops you chewing just for the flavor kick.
- Cheaper Than My Coffee Habit: One stick lasts hours. Seriously. Haven’t needed 2 in a single afternoon yet. The pack cost like three bucks.
- Less “Reach For Something”: Cigs, snacks, more coffee… my stupid go-tos when restless. Gumhead? Just sits there. Satisfies that oral fixation thing quietly. Way fewer candy bar wrappers in my trash.
Is it perfect? Hell no. Almost swallowed the thing five times. Still looks like an eraser. But damn if it doesn’t do exactly one thing really well: makes me aware of my stressed-out jaw and gives it something low-key to do besides grinding itself to powder. No magic pill. Just a stupid lump of purple rubber that works. And honestly? For the price? Worth finding out if it shuts up that clenching habit for you too. Just toss it in your damn mouth and try not actively chewing it. See what happens.