What Happens to Your Body If You Swallow Gum

Swallowing a piece of gum is generally harmless. Although your digestive system cannot break down the chewy base of gum, the common belief that swallowed gum stays in your system for seven years is just a myth. The gum usually passes through your body within a few days, and then you pass it out in your stool..

Be careful not to swallow large amounts of gum, however, which can sometimes cause abdominal pain or, in rare cases, intestinal obstruction.

Gum contains ingredients that your body cannot break down like it breaks down food. The gum base, which gives gum its chewy texture, is made from natural and synthetic materials like resins, waxes, and tree sap. These substances are not digestible, which means your stomach and intestines can’t break them down.

Your body can digest other ingredients in gum, like sweeteners and flavorings. These components break down as the gum base moves through your digestive system with the rest of the foods you eat until it leaves your body in a bowel movementt.

Occasionally swallowing a piece of gum is not harmful. But swallowing a large amount at once, or several small pieces over a short period of time, can sometimes lead to intestinal obstruction. An intestinal blockage, or intestinal obstruction, occurs when something blocks part of your digestive tract.

Swallowing gum from time to time probably won’t cause any problems. Certain risks may arise if you swallow a large amount of gum or do it often:

• Airway obstruction: Swallowing gum can increase the risk of it getting stuck in your throat, where it can block the flow of air into your lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, choking, cyanosis (bluish tinted skin), and loss of consciousness.
• Intestinal obstruction: Swallowing a large mass of gum, or several pieces in a short period of time, can sometimes cause a blockage in the intestines. This may lead to abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, loud bowel sounds, inability to pass gas, constipation, nausea, or vomiting.
• Overdose of medicinal gum: Specialty gums, such as nicotine gum, contain active medicinal ingredients. Swallowing multiple pieces may expose you to higher doses than intended, which may cause poisoning and side effects such as abdominal cramps, weakness, rapid breathing, muscle twitching, heart palpitations, etc.

Swallowing a single piece of gum poses virtually no health risk. In most cases, the gum will pass through your digestive system without causing harm. If you have swallowed a large amount of gum or swallow gum frequently, contact a doctor if you also develop any of the following symptoms:

• Persistent stomach pain or cramps
• Severe bloating or swelling of the abdomen
• Constipation that lasts more than a few days
• Nausea or vomiting that does not improve

These symptoms may be a sign of intestinal obstruction, a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment.