If you're like many people, you might have accidentally swallowed a piece of chewing gum at some point in your life. And after that startling sensation, you might have wondered, how long will the gum stay in your body? There is a common belief that swallowed gum will sit in your stomach for seven years. However, this is simply not true.
According to Simon Travis, a professor of clinical gastroenterology at the University of Oxford, the idea that gum stays in your stomach for years is an old wives' tale. Travis suggests that this myth may have originated from parents wanting to discourage their children from chewing gum. In reality, swallowing gum is only harmful if it is done in excessive amounts, which is rare.
Travis explains that if you accidentally swallow gum, it will pass through your stomach and into your intestines, eventually being eliminated from your body unchanged. While there have been rare cases of gum causing intestinal obstructions in infants and children who have ingested large quantities of gum, these cases are not common. In his 30 years of experience, Travis has never personally encountered such a case.
Dr. Aaron Carroll, a distinguished professor of pediatrics, agrees that swallowing gum is not harmful but does not recommend actively encouraging it either. Gum has no nutritional value and is made up of gum-based sweeteners, flavorings, and scents. The gum base itself consists of elastomers, resins, fats, emulsifiers, and waxes, making it an unhealthy substance to consume.
The act of chewing gum is not a recent phenomenon. Ancient civilizations, such as the Maya and the Pima Indians, had been using chewing gum derived from natural latex for thousands of years. The Maya used chicle, a latex obtained from the sapodilla tree that grows in southern Mexico and Central America. Similarly, the Pima Indians chewed on spruce tree sap before it became commercialized by European settlers.
In most cases, accidentally swallowing gum does not require a visit to the doctor unless you experience pain or have ingested a large quantity of gum. Regular individuals need not worry about it causing any serious issues. However, individuals with gastrointestinal tract problems, such as narrowings or severe inflammation, may experience complications from swallowing gum.
Conditions like Crohn's disease, which can cause inflammation and narrowing of the GI tract, may require patients to follow a low-residue diet that avoids foods like raw fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, popcorn, and gum. Additionally, certain types of cancer or surgeries that alter the anatomy of the digestive system can also increase the risk of complications from swallowing gum.
In conclusion, the notion that swallowed gum stays in your body for seven years is a myth. Swallowed gum typically passes through the digestive system without causing any harm. While it is not recommended for consumption due to its lack of nutritional value and potentially unhealthy ingredients, accidentally swallowing a piece of gum is unlikely to cause any significant health problems unless there are pre-existing issues with the gastrointestinal tract.