Is it harmful to swallow chewing gum?

Question

Growing up my mother always told me that gum will stick to my stomach if I swallow it. What's the worst that could happen?

Answer 1

No it is not harmful to swallow gum.  Your stomach is filled with very strong acid, so despite what our mothers always tell us, the gum will just get eaten up by the acid like anything else that we eat.

Answer 2

No, it isn't. I swallowed tons of chewing gum in my life and I always swallow it down, I think I've never spit one out and I am chewing about 20 pieces each day...

Don't worry, you'll dump it out like it went in. When it would be unhealthy to eat gum it would be forbidden by law, I think. I don't like to spit around in public, this is disgusting. That's why I prefer to swallow it although gum can not be digested. Usually your body has no complications with undigestible things like gum or cherry pits. Nothing ever happened to me, as you see I am still alive today.

You really don't have to worry about.

Answer 3

Choking on it seems pretty bad to me - that's always a possibility.

As for long term effects you should be ok and not have to worry.  I wouldn't swallow it regularly though - that might be problematic.

Answer 4

I'm pretty sure you'll be fine as long as you don't swallow it all the time. Though I'm not really sure of what would happen if you swallow gum all the time...

Answer 5

nothing. it will take a few more hours than regular to digest. no harm done except maybe a lump in throat.:)