We’d like to clear up a mystery. We know there are rumors floating around – mostly in middle school, it seems – that if you swallow a piece of gum, it will take up residence in your stomach for two years, or five years, or even ten years!
If you ever have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum, we are here to tell you not to worry. In fact, certain parts of gum can be digested (for instance sugar – although we certainly do NOT recommend chewing gum with sugar). And the parts that can’t be digested simply pass right through your system. So! No more imaginary gum mountains in your stomach!
That said, gum doesn’t have any dietary benefits, so it’s ideal to avoid swallowing it. And if you are a gum-chewer, make sure you chew sugarless gum, because gum with sugar can lead to cavities. You see, when the bacteria in your mouth break down sugar, what’s left behind is acid. This acid eats away at the enamel coating of your teeth, causing holes that we call cavities. And we know you don’t want any of those!
Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing from all of us at (404) 567-8900!
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