There are many myths and misconceptions we encounter in our daily lives, one of the most enduring ones being the idea that swallowing chewing gum is detrimental to our health, with some even believing it can sit in your stomach for seven years. However, this isn’t exactly rooted in fact. So, what really happens if you swallow a chewing gum ? Is it dangerous or just an urban myth ?
The Seven-year Myth: what Happens to Swallowed Chewing Gum
Unfolding the Misconception
Many of us grew up hearing about the “Seven-year Digestion” myth involving swallowed chewing gum. However, this belief does not hold up under scientific scrutiny. In reality, while it’s true that our bodies cannot fully digest chewing gum due to its synthetic components, it doesn’t get stuck inside us for seven years.
Natural Evacuation Process
A health professional clarifies that swallowed gum is naturally expelled by the digestive system. Yes, it may take a slightly longer time compared to other foods because of its indigestible nature but rest assured, it will be escorted out almost intact through muscle contractions of the digestive tract.
Moving away from the bubble of misconceptions surrounding swallowed chewing gum, let’s focus on some real health risks (if any) associated with the act.
The Real Health Risks After Swallowing Chewing Gum
Potential Health Hazards
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no risk of traffic congestion at the appendix or intestinal blockage due to swallowing a piece of chewing gum. Essentially swallowing a piece accidentally once in a while isn’t something that should keep you awake at night worrying about potential health issues.
This is not to say that it’s OK to regularly swallow gum, but rather to put minds at ease concerning the occasional mishap. Now, let’s delve into why chewing gum is indigestible.
Understanding Why Chewing Gum Does Not Digest
The Indigestible Components of Chewing Gum
Chewing gum comprises both digestible and indigestible components. The sweeteners, flavorings, and softeners are broken down by our digestive enzymes while the synthetic rubber or latex base is immune to these enzymes thus remain undigested.
Intriguingly, this inability to digest the base component of chewing gum does not pose a threat to us under normal circumstances. Yet, in rare cases, such ingestion could require medical attention.
Exceptional Cases: when Ingesting Chewing-Gum Requires Medical Attention
The Rare But Serious Instances
Most instances of swallowed gum do not lead to serious issues. However, there have been rare exceptions where large quantities of swallowed gum combined with other indigestible substances have caused intestinal obstructions particularly in children. These instances are uncommon and are preventable through monitoring and education on the proper disposal of chewing gum.
Children indeed need extra attention when it comes to chewing gums for more than one reason as we’ll see next.
Chewing Gums and Children: necessary Vigilance
An Age-specific Concern
Kids love chewing gums, but they also tend to swallow things impulsively which can lead to complications. While an occasional piece won’t harm them, frequent swallowing can cause problems especially in younger kids with narrower digestive tracts where blockages are more likely to occur.
While we have been focusing on the personal health aspects, let’s not forget that chewing gum also has environmental implications.
Environmental Impact of Chewing Gum: beyond Digestion
The Bigger Picture
The chewing gum market in France weighs around 326 million euros, with the country being the second-largest consumer worldwide after the United States. This poses a significant impact on our environment – from production to disposal. Improper disposal of chewing gums contributes significantly to littering, which is damaging for urban areas and wildlife alike.
The story of swallowed chewing gum is far more ordinary than many of us imagined, isn’t it ? To sum up, while it’s not advisable to make a habit out of swallowing your gum, an occasional accident isn’t something you need to lose sleep over.
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