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It turns out, swallowing gum isn't as bad as our parents told us.
Tim Boyle/ Getty Images Most of our parents taught us old-wives' tales when we were growing up. Some parents dissuaded us from swimming until an hour passed after eating, or we would get a stomach ache. Others are taught that it's bad luck to open an umbrella indoors. These old-wives' tales are meant to scare us out of doing something that may be dangerous to our health or well-being.
INSIDER wanted to find out the truth behind one common myth: If you swallow gum, it will stay in your stomach for seven years. But, what actually happens when you swallow that piece of bubble gum may surprise you.
Someone reaches for a piece of gum in a store.Vinicius Amano/Unsplash
To find truth in this superstition, it's important to first understand what is gum. People have been chewing gum-like substances since the ancient times; it can be traced back 9,000 years, according to The History Channel. The ancient Mayans were known to have chew something called "chicle," which came from a sapodilla tree to help cure thirst. In fact, only women and children were allowed to chew the chicle. Today, no such rules exist and anybody can chew gum — including your loud chewing co-worker.
The modern gum we chew on today mimics the chicle of our ancestors but is instead made from synthetic or natural rubber. That rubbery substance is then mixed with sweetener. When you munch on that piece of gum, the flavors are released into your mouth.
A bucket of Dubble Bubble gum sits in the dugout of a ballpark. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
When we chew food, the enzymes in the mouth break down food to help us swallow. Once swallowed, more enzymes and proteins break down the food in the stomach to take nutrients to the rest of the body and then excrete the rest.
With gum, nothing gets broken down, according to the BBC. Gum seems to stop the digestive process in our mouths. If you swallow, it stays intact—completely whole. Likewise, the enzymes in the stomach can't break it down either. This is probably why people think it gets stuck for seven years.
Luckily, as the Cleveland clinic noted, our adaptive digestive system is able to push the gum through the digestive tract anyway and excrete it out whole. So in the simplest of terms, it is OK to swallow your gum, as your digestive system is capable of getting rid of it.
Someone unwraps a piece of gum.limarie/ Flickr
However, specialists say you should heed that advice. There are times when swallowing gum may cause you some harm. It could get stuck in your digestive tract and cause a blockage. It typically takes a great amount of swallowed gum to cause a full blockage, but it isn't unseen, especially in children. These blockages can cause constipation, stomach pains, and other severe symptoms.
Big Red and Winterfresh gum sit in a bed of candies.Mark Lennihan/AP Photos
Unless your mother is a doctor, you should probably trust biology on this old-wives' tale. In fact, there is proof that chewing gum may actually be good for your health. If you chew sugar-free gum, it can benefit your oral hygiene, alleviates dry mouth, makes tooth enamel stronger, and helps prevent tooth decay.
So, chew away, but keep the swallowing to a minimum.
