We’ve always heard health warnings from our parents about the harms of chewing gum, basing their advice on the old saying that gum stays in the stomach for 7 years.
However, the experts came to the conclusion that all those statements that talk about the long stay of gum inside our digestive system are untrue, but that does not mean, of course, that this habit is encouraged because of its negative damage.
According to the British newspaper “The Sun”, when you swallow gum, it enters your body and is digested like any other food, but the danger lies in repeated swallowing in the long run.
The difference between chewing gum and the rest of the foods is that it takes longer to digest, and therefore the time to leave the body through the stool is delayed.
Eating a large amount of gum or several small pieces over a short period of time can cause a blockage in the digestive system. Symptoms of blockage include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
And when you feel any strange symptoms after swallowing the gum, you should see a doctor immediately to provide the appropriate first aid.