One of the favorite treats for children and adults is gum, which we usually chew, generally to have pleasant breath after having eaten or drunk something strong and we do not have a toothbrush on hand, and also, for many, it is a element that, having it in their mouth, gives them the peace of mind they need at certain times.
However, surely when you were little, on more than one occasion, your parents or someone older told you to be careful when chewing gum, because if you swallowed it, and frequently, you could have various health problems.
This popular belief makes us think that literally a whole piece of gum can remain intact in the stomach for many years. In fact, some claim that the gum could be in it for 7 years.
But, really, this is not so.
If I swallow a piece of gum, will it stay in my stomach for a long time?
Simon Travis, professor of clinical gastroenterology at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, in an interview for CNN on this topic, indicated that the idea that a piece of gum can stay in the stomach for a long time is simply a myth, like many that exist. around this one.
“I have no idea where the myth came from; “I can only imagine that it was suggested because someone wanted to prevent their children from chewing gum,” the doctor said.
“If you swallow a piece of gum, it will pass through your stomach; It will reach the intestine and exit unchanged at the other end. In the case of babies and children, especially if they have swallowed many, they could suffer from an intestinal obstruction; However, in his 30 year career, he has never seen a case and therefore this is extremely rare to happen.
Likewise, Travis indicated that, despite this, it is not recommended to swallow gum, since if you do it on a daily basis, you could be one of those rare cases whose action could trigger a complication.
The same conclusion was reached by Dr. Aaron Carroll, professor of pediatrics and director of health at Indiana University, who did not recommend consuming a lot of gum, as it lacks any type of nutritional value.
“Chewing gum is made from chewing gum-based sweeteners, flavorings, and flavorings. The rubber base is a mixture of elastomers, resins, greases, emulsifiers and waxes. So I wouldn’t say it’s healthy,” Carroll said.
When should I worry if I swallow gum?
Both specialists indicated that by swallowing gum, it is not necessary to go to the doctor, unless you start to feel abdominal pain.
But those who should take certain precautions are those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, since they could have certain medical complications due to this bad habit.
“If there is a narrowing or you have very severe inflammation for whatever reason, or you have a motility problem, where your stomach or your colon is not emptying like it should, then a piece of gum can get stuck in it and cause problems,” said Dr. Leila Kia, a gastroenterologist and associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“If you swallow a lot of gum, that could become a problem if you have a small stomach or if your anatomy has been reorganized, which is essentially what happens when you undergo gastric surgery,” the specialist said.
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