If you swallow gum, it will not stay in your stomach for seven years, but your body cannot digest all of it.
What is gum made of?
Gum is a rubbery base mixed with sweeteners and flavor. Your body breaks down the sweet stuff, but not the rubbery base.
Where does it go?
Your gut is a long tube with muscles that squeeze food along. They push everything forward, even what your body cannot use. So the gum slides through and comes out in your poop within a few days.
Is it ever a problem?
One swallowed piece now and then is usually harmless, but swallowing a lot of gum can form a sticky lump that blocks the gut. The seven-year story is a myth, but spitting gum out is still best.
