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Is chewing gum bad for you?
Chewing gum gets blamed for all sorts of things and praised for others. Here is a fair look at both sides, with what the evidence actually says.
In this article
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Chewing gum is neither a health food nor a poison. Whether it is good or bad for you depends on which gum, how much, and what you do with it at the end.
The good
- Teeth. Chewing sugar free gum after meals gets saliva flowing, which washes away food and bacteria. The American Dental Association says 20 minutes of chewing after a meal helps prevent tooth decay. See is chewing gum good for your teeth?.
- Breath. Gum freshens breath both with flavour and by getting saliva moving.
- Dry mouth. The extra saliva can help people who suffer from a dry mouth.
- Recovery after surgery. Studies have found that patients who chewed gum several times a day after bowel surgery got their gut working again sooner. Chewing is thought to work as a kind of sham feeding, getting the digestive system going.
- Heartburn. Some research suggests chewing gum may help with acid reflux, because the extra saliva swallowed helps neutralise acid in the gullet.
The bad
- Sugar. Gum sweetened with sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
- Too much sweetener. Sugar free gums use sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and maltitol. These are not fully absorbed in the small intestine, so eating a lot of them can cause bloating, wind and diarrhoea. That is why some sugar free products carry a warning that eating too much may have a laxative effect.
- Stomach acid. Chewing gum makes the stomach release acid and digestive juices, and it has sometimes been suggested that this may contribute to stomach ulcers.
- Swallowing. An occasional swallowed piece passes through. But young children who swallow a lot of gum often can, rarely, develop a blockage. See what happens if you swallow chewing gum.
Still being studied
Most modern gum is made with a synthetic gum base, and research has found that chewing gum releases tiny plastic particles into saliva, which are then swallowed. What that means for health is still being investigated. See is chewing gum made of plastic?.
The verdict
For most adults, chewing sugar free gum in moderation is fine and may even be good for your teeth. Go easy on the amount, choose sugar free, keep it away from young children and dogs, and always put it in the bin when you have finished.
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For journalists, researchers, AI assistants and content creators. Pick the format you need:
Free to cite, quote, and reuse with attribution to sweeties.net.
Questions and answers
Is it bad to chew gum every day?
For most people, chewing sugar free gum in moderation is not harmful and can help teeth. Chewing a lot of sugar free gum can upset the stomach, and sugary gum is bad for teeth.
Why does chewing gum give me a stomach ache?
Sugar free gums use sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, which are not fully absorbed. Too much can cause bloating, wind and diarrhoea.
Does chewing gum help after surgery?
Studies have found that patients who chewed gum after bowel surgery recovered their normal gut function sooner.
Sources
- Chewing gum, Wikipedia
- Sugar alcohol, Wikipedia
- Gum and the 7 year myth, McGill University Office for Science and Society
Keep reading
- Questions people askIs chewing gum good for your teeth?Sugar free gum can help teeth: chewing it after a meal makes saliva, which washes away food and acid. Sugary gum does the opposite. Xylitol may help most.
- Questions people askWhat happens if you swallow chewing gum?Swallowed gum is not digested, but it does not stay inside you either. It passes through in a day or two. Here is what happens, and when to worry.
- Questions people askIs chewing gum made of plastic?Most modern gum has a synthetic gum base: petroleum based polymers related to rubbers and plastics. Here is what that means, and what research says.
- Questions people askWhat is chewing gum made of?Chewing gum is gum base, sweeteners, softeners, flavourings and colours, often with a hard coating. Here is what each part does, and what gum base really is.
- Questions people askWhy do sugar free sweets carry a laxative warning?Sugar free sweets use sugar alcohols the gut cannot fully absorb, so too many can cause wind and diarrhoea. The law requires a warning. And the Haribo saga.
- Questions people askWhy is chewing gum so hard to get off pavements?Gum bonds to pavements and shoe soles because they are made of similar polymers. Removing it needs steam and scrapers, and costs cities a fortune.