Swallowing Gum

Some of you already may be familiar with this particular old wives' tale. It's certainly one I've heard more than once in my life from older people and fellow classmates.

Did you know?

"If you swallow chewing gum, it will stay in your body for years and never come out!"

This tale comes in many variations, but ultimately professes that swallowed chewing gum gets stuck in your body. This particular tale has been proven false by science. Anything you swallow that your body cannot digest will simply pass through your body and come out with your excrement. This happens with chewing gum, fibrous materials like corn kernels, seeds, and other materials. The human body is amazing, and in most cases, it understands what it can and can't digest. Chewing gum is not a digestible substance and will pass through your body without hanging up anywhere. Personally, I learned this information from a cool Scholastics Fair book that was titled "The Utterly Amazing Human Body" by Robert Winston, but you can easily find information like this and more on the Mayo Clinic's website. They have several answered questions like "is swallowing gum harmful?" here.

Now as a side note for some more recent gums, a lot of chewing gum brands use artificial sweeteners in their gum. They replace sugar, so they can advertise the gum as sugar-free and "healthier". The only brand of gum I've seen in the U.S.A. that still uses cane sugar in their gum is Double Bubble. While this trend doesn't affect me personally, it's a bummer for people like my dad who have allergic reactions to certain artificial sweeteners (aspartame anyone?). As for the sweetener you should look out for, especially if you have pets, is xylitol. This sugar alcohol is less harmful for your teeth than other sweeteners, but there is no clear benefit from consuming xylitol. Recently, it's been a trending artificial sweetener for many consumable products. Some people have had negative reactions to xylitol in the form of excess gas and bloating, but the bigger danger is to dogs and cats. Xylitol can be hazardous and potentially life-threatening for pets. The FDA has a page discussing the sources of xylitol in products as well as potential issues for animals (Paws off Xylitol). A lot of gum companies started using it in their chewing gum as an artificial sweetener. Though it has been tested for safety for humans (in small amounts), I would recommend not swallowing this gum.

Where in the world did this tall tale come from? Times of India says "The myth that gum stays in you stomach for seven years likely arose from its unusual texture. Unlike typical food, gum is flexible and indigestible, which makes it seem like it could linger in the digestive tract." (TOI)

There is no clear origin for this rumor about gum. Most sources infer that it originated as a way for parents to discourage children from swallowing too much gum. It could also have something to do with the rubbery texture of gum and people's impression that it is not digestible. Chewing gum has existed in human culture for a lot longer than you might think. Initially, gummy substances across the globe were used by humans as a way to satisfy their urge to chew. It seems the habit of chewing gum, evolved convergently, that is at the same time in multiple places. Early gum was used either to satisfy the need for taste, texture, or even to maintain dental health. Birch bark tar was the earliest substance we have archaeological records of people chewing. We have changed gum to be tastier over time, but its ultimate purpose hasn't changed. If you're curious about old chewing gum or old humans, I encourage you to look into it. As for our purposes here, this old wives' tale has existed alongside the usage of gum throughout human history.

Overall, swallowing gum isn't going to hurt you, but it's not going to benefit you either. It's better not to swallow your gum and dispose of it in a trash can when you are done chewing it. If you do end up swallowing your gum, it's not going to stay in your body for years and never ever come out.