So, you’ve done it. Maybe you were in the middle of a conversation, distracted, or just got a little too carried away with your bubble-blowing skills.
Suddenly, your chewing gum is gone, swallowed by accident or, let’s face it, on purpose.
Now, the age-old question looms: What happens if I swallow chewing gum?
First, let’s break down the gum itself. You’re chomping away on a sticky, sweet little wad, but have you ever wondered what’s inside?
Chewing gum is made from a mixture of rubbery substances, sweeteners, and flavourings. The main ingredients usually include gum base, which is what gives gum its chewy texture, along with sweeteners like sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Some gum also has flavours such as mint, fruit, or bubblegum. Because of the rubbery gum base, chewing gum is different from other foods in how it breaks down inside the body.
Unlike food that gets digested by your stomach and intestines, chewing gum isn’t easily broken down by your digestive system.
So, what happens when you swallow all that?
In most cases, swallowing a single piece of gum won’t cause any harm. There, I said it. Go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief.
Most of the time, the gum will travel through your digestive system just like any other food or object you might swallow. It will pass through your oesophagus, enter your stomach, and eventually make its way to your intestines. The body can’t digest the gum base, so it will move through the intestines and be eliminated in your stool.
Now, while the occasional swallowed gum is nothing to fear, some extreme cases have resulted in blockages (like, really extreme).
So, maybe don’t get too ambitious with your gum-swallowing habits.
The myth of “gum-related diseases”
Some people claim that swallowing gum can lead to all kinds of terrifying diseases. These rumours are on par with the whole “if you swallow orange seeds, it’ll grow in your stomach” No real basis in fact.
There’s no scientific evidence linking swallowing gum to any long-term health issues, unless, of course, you start swallowing it recklessly.
Fun fact: A strange history of gum
Before we wrap this up, let’s take a trip through history. Did you know that chewing gum has been around since ancient times?
Indigenous people in the Americas chewed sap from trees to freshen their breath. Fast forward to the 19th century, and we’ve got modern gum, all packed with artificial flavour and that unforgettable chewiness.
