2 published verifications about Chewing Gum Chewing Gum ×
“Swallowing chewing gum can cause intestinal problems.”
The evidence supports a real but uncommon risk. Swallowed gum usually passes without harm, but documented medical cases show it can contribute to bezoars, impaction, and intestinal obstruction. The claim is accurate because it says gum can cause intestinal problems, not that it usually does.
“Swallowed chewing gum remains in the human stomach for seven years before being digested or expelled.”
This claim is a well-known myth. Multiple authoritative medical sources — including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Duke Health, and Britannica — explicitly state that swallowed gum does not remain in the stomach for seven years. While the gum base is indigestible, it passes through the digestive tract and is expelled in stool, typically within about 40 hours. "Indigestible" means it exits intact, not that it stays trapped. The seven-year figure has no scientific basis.