
Swallowing Gum — Bad or Not So Bad? | Dr. Ian Smith

Sara Haines Isn’t Afraid to Talk About “Embarrassing” Topics on …

Sara Haines Jokes About the “Struggle” of Juggling 3 Kids + Husb…

Awesome Deals From MorningSave: 4-Piece Makeup Set, Cordless Vac…

How to Make BLT Burgers with Blue Sauce | Rachael Ray

Run-DMC's Darryl McDaniels Helps Foster Children After Finding O…

Go Inside Clinton Kelly's Retro Cozy Connecticut Home With Skyli…

How to Make Chicken and Parmesan Dumplings | Clinton Kelly

How to Make Greek-Style Chili with Pita Chips | Rachael Ray

How to Make Spiced Chicken, Rice, and Kale | Eat to Beat Your Di…

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings with 3 Sauces: Honey Buffalo…

How to Make Focaccia di Recco with Stracchino Cheese and Sea Sal…

It IS Possible to Change Your Metabolism For Weight Loss—Doctor …

How Brown Fat Is Good For You + Can Burn The Bad Stuff Away

How to Make Chicken and Shrimp Penne, Chesapeake Bay Style | Rac…

How to Make a Celery Margarita Inspired by Cel-Ray Soda | John C…

Grand Slam Corndogs (For Breakfast!) + Former Yankee Nick Swisher

Foodie Dan Pashman Cooks Up a New Pasta Shape + Rach's Easy Sala…

Style Pro Stacy London + Rach's Bacon and Beef Chili

B-L-T Burger Night + "The View" Host Sara Haines
Let's be honest — who hasn't swallowed gum accidentally and wondered and worried about what could happen?
Well, how bad is it really? We asked physician Dr. Ian Smith.
"When you chew food, inside of your mouth, you have enzymes that start to break your food down into small pieces," he explains. "Then it gets into your stomach, [which] is full of all this great, strong acid that will break it down into mush. And then it goes into your intestinal tract — you digest, you eliminate."
But gum is a different story.
"The enzymes in your mouth don't work on gum," the doc says. "So you swallow the gum intact and it goes through your system intact. And you end up eliminating it intact."
"If you do it every once in a while, it's not going to be a problem," he continues. "You're going to eliminate it."
BUT that doesn't mean you can start purposely gulping it down!
In fact, the main concern is with kids, the doc says. "Kids do too much of it, and their gastric motility slows down," Dr. Ian explains. "And they get constipated [and] could possibly have a blockage."
So, moral of the story? If it happens accidentally every once in a while, Dr. Ian isn't concerned. "But you shouldn't do it very frequently," he says.