Is it an old wives tale or is there something more substantial to it?
My mum always told me that it would wrap around my heart and i'd die!
:-O
But then she is a nutcase. But where does this actually stem from?
2007-03-13 23:50:21 · 17 answers · asked by ? 3 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
gum digests like any other food, not 7 years like we've all heard (it takes a couple days) it stays intact because the gum base doesn't break down like the other ingredients, the only way it's dangerous is swallowing large amounts, a normal size piece is fine, it's rare for a piece to get stuck in the intestines
2007-03-14 01:24:44 · answer #1 · answered by Tee118 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aren't all mothers' nutcases?
The reason for spitting out your gum rather than eating it, is simple. The stomach hasn't enough acids to fully digest the product all the time. As a result it is possible that the gum could cause an immense amount of trouble in the intestinal tract. It can be painful. Rare but it can happen, so it's best just to get rid of the gum orally. Remove it from the mouth, politely wrap it in scrap paper,(the foil it came in?) then toss it into the garbage.
2007-03-14 07:02:23 · answer #2 · answered by the old dog 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason you shouldnt swallow gum is because you are frightened to and the worry will harm you far worse than the gum.
Gum cannot wrap itself around your other organs because the digestive tract is a tube that runs through you separate from the other organs. Gum is mostly indigestable material which passes harmlessly through your system. How long that takes depends on how good your diet is and and how much roughage it contains, but saying 7 yrs is like saying wrap around your heart. Most likely only a day or two.
2007-03-14 09:19:12 · answer #3 · answered by bri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering the inner-sphincter's "chinese handcuff" type properties it is a probability that the gum at some point could (upon a sudden burst of wind) expand and, "pop" within or exiting the colon! Adding to the hazzard, it just so happens that the elastisicity of the sphincter's outer perimeter is equel to squared inverse of Hubba Bubba's density!
In other words... swallowing chewing gum sets up the liklyhood of blowing 'sphincter-bubbles' and needless to say, if this were to occur upon a large hairy man... the removel of the gum might prove terrifying! Regaurds to Mom.
2007-03-14 07:28:57 · answer #4 · answered by punk bitch piece of shit 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've swallowed it before and no harm has come to me, but I think it's not worth the risk. The way it's made and it's chewy sticky consistancy would make it very easy for it to indeed wrap itself around an important organ in your body. It also doesn't digest very easily so the risk doesn't go away in a few hours, it has to pass through your body slowly and therefore theres more chances of it getting stuck somewhere.
2007-03-14 06:54:49 · answer #5 · answered by lady_margery 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh god if my mum told me that then id be so scared, id never chew it again!!
Think it could get caught up in your intestines. Think ive accidently swallowed a bit before and nothing happened! Just to be on the safe side, chuck it in the bin!!
2007-03-14 07:03:36 · answer #6 · answered by Lorraine A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is made of a material that can not be easily digested by your stomach, so if you swallow it, it will stay in your stomach for a long time - 7 years I have heard.
2007-03-14 06:57:34 · answer #7 · answered by Funky Little Spacegirl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The stuff chewing gum is made of is not digestable, so you really shouldn't swallow it.
2007-03-14 06:55:25 · answer #8 · answered by WC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it would not wrap around your heart, but your digestive system would not - er, well - um, digest it and it would exit in a different place to where it entered.
Why would you want so swall that stuff anyway? Or was it an accident!!!????
2007-03-14 09:52:47 · answer #9 · answered by zakiit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your body cannot digest chewing gum.
2007-03-14 06:54:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋