What Happens If You Swallow Gum?

TheIndonesia.id - Everyone must have understood that we should not swallow gum. However, some people may have accidentally swallowed gum. Then, what happens if you swallow gum? 

Gum has a sticky and elastic texture, making you chew and munch on it for hours. However, sometimes you can accidentally swallow it. Some people think that chewing gum is dangerous because it will leave inside your stomach and clog the intestines.

In fact, the body simply cannot digest chewing gum. You need to understand that the body does not produce digestive enzymes to break down swallowed gum, making it remain intact in the stomach.

Quoting Times India, chewing gum is the same as other types of food that can move through the digestive system and be excreted by the body through feces.

According to experts, it takes about 40 hours to a few days for the body to remove gum from the digestive tract.

This process takes more time than other foods because chewing gum moves more slowly than other foods through the digestive tract.

Swallowing gum can block the intestines?

In rare cases, accidentally swallowing gum can also cause intestinal obstruction. If a person swallows a large amount of gum and suffers from constipation problems, it can lead to intestinal blockage.

This condition mostly occurs in cases of children because they are often advised not to swallow gum.

A 1998 study published in the journal Pediatrics reports that children can also experience intestinal upset after swallowing a lot of gum.

This health problem can cause severe pain, vomiting, and constipation. In addition, swallowing gum can also increase the risk of choking.