2006-09-29 08:59:26 · 47 answers · asked by Graham M 1 in Health ➔ Other - Health
if it does than i guess im living proof of walking dead. i swallow my gum all the time. it just comes out the next day in the same form it went down.
2006-09-29 09:01:57 · answer #1 · answered by §eeker 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Almost everyone has swallowed a piece of gum at some point. But very few people ever need to see a doctor because of it.
Chewing gum is made up of the gum itself (called gum resin), preservatives, flavorings, and sweeteners. The human body is unable to digest the gum resin. But swallowed gum does not stay in the stomach or cause intestinal problems. That's because our bodies move most materials that can't be digested (like gum) through the digestive system and out of our bodies in a bowel movement.
In rare cases, swallowing a large mass of gum, or many small pieces of gum over a short period of time, can block the digestive tract. Blockages in the digestive system are most likely to happen when gum is swallowed along with other indigestible things (like sunflower seed shells).
Although people cannot digest gum resin, they can digest the things that have been added to chewing gum, such as sweeteners or even medications (think of the nicotine gum used by people trying to quit smoking). The body absorbs these just through the act of chewing. This is where chewing gum can affect a person's health: When a person chews a lot of sugary gum, the calories can add up.
2006-09-29 09:02:09 · answer #2 · answered by rltouhe 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Swallowing chewing gum will not kill you. I swallowed gum at least 3 million times. The body get rid of the gum in a few weeks. If you swallow sugar free gum or a large amount of gum, it can cause digestive problems. Sugar-free gum is not absorbed by the body but it passes into the small intestine and colon, where they can cause diarrhea. It may be painful but you'll survive.
2006-09-29 11:49:16 · answer #3 · answered by fruit salad 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the gum component itself is pretty indigestible, but will "pass" in a mass and will not stick your insides together, either. This one probably got going when exasperated parents tired of buying more gum after half an hour because their kids had chomped, then swallowed, their allotment.
2006-09-29 09:04:20 · answer #4 · answered by ravensremorse00 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO I am still here and i swallow all the time. Chewing gum I mean
2006-09-29 09:03:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope. I'd be dead then, we all swallowed our gum for various reasons, not to be caught chewing, etc. My siblings and I swallowed so much gum it's a wonder we didnt blow bubbles out the other end!
2006-09-29 10:37:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, but there is a old wives tale, that if you swallow chewing gum, it stays in your system 7 years - but it can bind you up - sould not suggest it.
2006-09-29 09:08:56 · answer #7 · answered by W. E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if you choke on it. Although they should put it in larger print (hard to get on smaller wrappers) May cause constipation if ingested. If chewing more than one piece (increased risk of chocking) keep out of reach of young children below the age of 5.
Its the little things isn't it:-)
2006-09-29 09:02:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, but I know that it takes overs 7 years for the stomach to digest the chewing gum properly.
2006-09-29 09:03:12 · answer #9 · answered by carla 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends if you choke on it or not.
I dont think a company would be allowed to sell something that is meant to go in your mouth if it was gonna kill you if you swallowed it.
2006-09-29 09:02:18 · answer #10 · answered by Mick B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋