from your second grade teacher that if you swallow gum,

it could stay in your stomach forever

or worse, it could grow into a rubber tree in your stomach.

Well, that's true, so don't do it.

(peppy instrumental music)

Okay, maybe not.

Swallowing chewing gum isn't really gonna plant trees

in your stomach, but that's no reason

to start doing it regularly.

Here's what happens to your body when you swallow gum.

When you eat standard food, three processes go to work

in your body to turn that food into fuel.

The first is obvious, it's chewing.

The process breaks food down

into smaller and smaller pieces,

increasing the surface area.

Meanwhile, saliva coats those pieces, delivering enzymes

that help break down the food.

Finally, once swallowed,

the stomach acids turn any remaining food pieces into mush.

This lets the food pass through the rest

of your digestive track smoothly,

but gum doesn't play by those rules.

As much as you chew it,

gum doesn't break into smaller pieces.

That's because it's gum, duh!

Gum has been around much longer than you think.

Ancient Mayans and Aztecs harvested resin

from a sapodilla tree.

They would dry it into a chaw

and chew it to stave off hunger.

Even back then, it was also recognized

as a breath freshener.

However, most gum today is made from natural

or synthetic polymers, most commonly butyl rubber.

It's used in all kinds of products,

including adhesives, fiber optics, sealants, cling film,

paper, fuel, explosives, sporting equipment, roofing,

bottle stoppers, and tires.

But don't worry, the butyl in your gum won't make you sick.

That's because it can't be broken down.

The wad of chewing gum hits your stomach intact.

Your saliva enzymes and your stomach acid

can't touch the butyl in the gum base,

but that doesn't mean it just hangs out.

Your body is equipped to handle gum the same way it deals

with other food that it can't fully digest,

like corn and sunflower seeds.

(peppy instrumental music)

The muscles of your digestive tract move it along

and eventually flush it out of your system in a day or two,

along with everything else.

So, no, the gum doesn't stay in your body

when you swallow it,

but that's no reason to start gulping it down by the pack.

The more gum your body has to process,

the higher likelihood that it will build up.

This gum mass can potentially clog your digestive tract,

causing an intestinal blockage

which can trigger stomach pain or constipation.

There's a lovely name for this blockage, a bezoar.

An 18-year-old Israeli woman once suffered

from a bezoar that blocked her stomach.

The problem?

Turns out she had been swallowing at least five pieces

of gum every day.

The blockage had grown so large that doctors had to break it

into smaller pieces

and then fish it out of her piece by piece.

But chewing gum alone isn't necessarily bad for you.

A couple of small studies have shown that the act

of chewing gum can actually help relax you,

because it can help reduce levels of cortisol,

a common stress hormone, in your saliva.

Feel free to unwrap a stick.

You won't be alone, 56% of Americans chew gum,

each about 280 sticks per year.

It's a two billion dollar industry in the U.S.,

but be wary of swallowing it once you're done.

The occasional piece of gum won't hurt,

but with everything else your body already does for you,

why put it through the extra work?

Also, don't spit it out on the ground.

That's just gross.

Find a trashcan, like a normal person.