Chewing gum while doing something can improve various aspects of brain function, such as alertness, memory, capture, and decision making. But what happens when you accidentally swallow a gum?
There are some myths that flourish in the community about the dangers behind ingestion of chewing gum by accident. One of them is chewing gum that is swallowed will always be in the digestive tract in months or even years.
In principle, chewing gum that enters the digestive tract will experience the same thing as other foods through the digestive process. Chewing gum also through the process of destruction in the digestive tract by a strong gastric movement, exposure to stomach acid, and some gastric enzymes.
It's just that chewing gum can not completely dissolve in digestion because it has some chemicals such as elastomers, resins, fats, emulsifiers, and candles. Then, chewing gum also can not be absorbed by the intestine like some other foods.
The rest of the gum digestion will still be removed through the feces. The expenditure time is also affected by the speed of intestinal motion. Thus, swallowed gum will not be buried in the intestine, although it can not dissolve completely. Another thing if you swallow a lot of gum by accident. It can make your choking and life threatening.
So, swallowing gum accidentally is not too dangerous. However, chewing or swallowing gum is also pointless, as it does not contain the nutrients your body needs. And do not forget to always throw away your chewing gum after running out of taste while chewing it!
source: klikdokter.com
source: klikdokter.com
