I would say that like 95% of our coaches in the gym chew gum while coaching!!

Totally!! They should be careful of TMJ, especially if they are stressed! [quote]Health Tip: While Chewing Gum May Relieve Stress ... (HealthDay News) -- While chewing gum may help you feel better when you're stressed, don't overdo it, advises the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. When you're stressed, you may be prone to chewing more vigorously, which can strain your jaw. Chewing too hard can cause fatigue and soreness in the jaw. It can also trigger a condition called TMJ, affecting the temporomandibular joint. The condition can causes pain in the head and the neck, and difficulty in opening and closing the jaw. If you have any of these symptoms, give your jaw a rest and stop chewing gum for a few days. If symptoms don't subside, see a doctor. -- Diana Kohnle[/quote] http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=83423

My dentist told me about gum chewing and TMJ. But a little bit does feel good and relaxing. My coach has kept the same gum for like 3 hours!

Gymnasts totally should not be chewing gum while doing gymnastics! Everyone's coach tells them that right? On tv on the gymnastics competitions Blaine Wilson would be competing in, lots of times I would be like, he's chewing gum! He chews the gum before he goes on the apparatus event, stops chewing, then after he is done and salutes the judges, starts chewing again. Chewing gum like in this video: [youtube]LlfjUMR2Dko[/youtube] posted also at the topic "Blaine Wilson's comeback - competition Winter Cup in Feb.": http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?p=2986#2986