Caught yourself in a situation where you have swallowed gum or someone you are concerned about has swallowed gum? Worry not, this article is here to answer all your ambiguities and doubts related to swallowing gum.
As gum is something designed for being chewed and not swallowed so it should be avoided to swallow gum and instead spit it out wrapped in a paper or gum wrap to avoid any sticky mishaps.
What happens if you swallow gum? Nothing bad is going to happen, it will pass out of your body in the poop. The digestible materials; oils and sugars get absorbed while the indigestible materials like gum base stay in your intestine until it is pushed out of the body in your stool.
However, if the gum is swallowed more often than it can get stuck in the digestive tract and cause blockages and infections.
Depending upon how much gum you swallow more often, it can cause blockages and bring the digestive system to a halt, causing pain and constipation. In that case, medical help should be sought immediately.
3 Possible Happenings If You Swallow Gum
Devour your gum, but be sure to spit it out. Otherwise, there can be adverse effects from swallowing your gum. Let’s check out 3 side effects of swallowing gum instantly:
- It will simply pass out of your body through bowel movements.
- In the case of chronic gum swallowers, it can get stuck/accumulated in the digestive passage/intestine creating a hub for infections and causing blockages
- In some unfortunate cases, it can cause a young child to choke. If a person chokes on gum while asleep that can be fatal as well.
When Swallowing Gum Is Harmful
Swallowing gum can be harmful in children mostly and some adults too who are habitual to swallowing gum. When swallowing gum can be harmful? Bulks of gum being stuck in your intestine along with some constipation problems can cause blocked intestines and digestive tract blockages as well.
Such circumstances and swallowing gum should be discouraged especially among children. Children should be educated about not swallowing gum and even adults should also not give in to the feeling of swallowing gum more often.
What To Do If You Swallow a Gum
If you have swallowed gum then what to do? Worry not, if you have swallowed gum just eat your food and drink more water so your digestive system works as normal. Do not get stressed or over-anxious which can cause you endless worries and lead to hypertension.
If you are more concerned in the case of a small child or even an adult you should visit the doctor immediately and seek medical help. Your doctor will best guide you, give a prescription and you also might get an ultrasound to track that gum.
What Happens If You Swallow Gum While Pregnant
Being pregnant demands extra care and caution while eating/drinking. What happens if you swallow gum while pregnant is interesting to answer. If by chance you happen to swallow gum while pregnant do not worry. It will just pass out of your body along with other waste. Just keep a check on your diet, water intake, and your supplements.
Swallowing gum will have no adverse effects on the fetus. So just stay calm as the gum will not stay in your intestine forever and will be excreted out in your stool. If you are more concerned about the situation you might visit your doctor for a clinical guide.
What Happens If You Eat a Gum Wrapper
If you eat a gum wrapper it will not harm you but it can cause uneasy feelings while being passed down your throat or esophagus. The gum is the thing to be eaten, not the wrapper.
So eating the wrapper should be avoided in the first place. The wrappers are mostly made of wax paper, aluminum foil, or biodegradable material that gets soft and mushy until it reaches your intestine.
More capacity of gum wrapper in your body can cause problems such as uneasiness, gas problems, and blocked food passages, especially in children.
People who find it a hassle to peel the gum wrapper can invest in buying edible gum wrapper gum to save their dollars at the doctors’ clinic later on.
What Happens If You Swallow Gum While Sleeping
Swallowing gum while asleep will not turn the gum into a dinosaur that will eat you up overnight but the gum itself acts as a silent killer.
What happens if you swallow gum while sleeping? While chewing gum before sleep might choke on the gum while asleep which can cause unconsciousness and might lead to the death of a person which happens in rare cases but it is true.
Mostly if a person swallows gum while asleep it will stay intact in your digestive tract and will be passed out of your body in your stool but in some unfortunate rare cases, a person asleep can choke on the gum too.
What Happens If You Chew Gum Before Bedtime
What happens if you chew gum before bedtime? Is it good or bad? Chewing gum before bedtime is not good at all as the sugars from the gum will have a party in your teeth all night and along with that, it can lead you to stay awake and have disturbed sleeping patterns.
It is ideal to go to sleep with brushed teeth and avoid binge eating unhealthy snacks even if it claims to be a 90% pure fruity content gum it still is unhealthy. Instead, go to sleep with an undistracted mind and brush your teeth before bedtime to wake up fresh and healthy.
What Happens If You Swallow Gum a Lot
The flavourful and tasty gum might keep you alert and your anxiety aside if you are chewing it regularly or it might even be helping you burn calories. What happens if you swallow gum a lot? swallowing it daily or habitually more often stop right there!
Gulping down gum more often can cause you to have gum sticking inside of you. Which can lead to blocked and infected digestive tracts. This will further lead to problems in bowel movements and cause irritations. You should practice mindfulness and not swallow gum regularly. If you notice some adverse effects immediately seek medical help and consult with a doctor.
Interesting Fact
Chewing gum is one of the most popular things, some 374 billion pieces of chewing gum are sold worldwide every year, representing 187 billion hours of gum-chewing if each piece of gum is chewed for 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gum Stay in Your Stomach For 7 Years If Swallowed?
No, myth busted! Because gum just passes out of your body in the stool. As some contents of the gum will be digested by your body the undigested resin/gum base will just move out of your body through bowel movements and will not stay in your intestine for 7 years.
The body takes 20 to 48 hours to digest food so the gum might stay in your body as long as it is not passed along with the poop.
Will You Die if You Swallow Gum?
No, swallowing gum is not fatal at all. But in some cases, if you choke on the gum, especially while asleep then it can be a problem and you might die.
My 6-year-old Has Swallowed Gum. Should I be Concerned?
No, you should not be concerned, just let her eat and drink as normal as the gum will not stay inside of her and will pass out the body in his/her stool. In case of serious concerns, you may consult the doctor.
What If a Child Eats Gum Along with Some Coins?
Gum being swallowed along with coins or small toys is a serious alert for the parents and immediately the child should be taken to the doctor for medical treatment. The sticky gum base will keep the coins intact and can cause blockages.
Conclusion
Chewing gum is okay but swallowing it is not okay. In the case of chronic gum swallowers, they should stop right there and practice good habits and mindfulness to avoid gulping down the gum causally. Children should be taught to spit out the gum and educated about the dangerous side of swallowing the gum.
So, if you enjoy chewing gum carry on but make sure to spit it out and not swallow the latex waste.
