Is it true that gum stays in your system for seven years?

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You’ve likely been warned by your mother not to swallow gum because it supposedly stays in your system for seven years. But if that were true, what kind of mess would it create?

Our digestive system is designed to break down and eliminate what we ingest in a matter of hours or, at most, days—not years. The myth that gum stays inside you for an extended period has been debunked by Snopes.com, and medical science backs up this conclusion. Pediatric gastroenterologist David Milov stated in Scientific American that he can confirm "with complete certainty" that gum does not remain in your system for seven years [source: Scientific American].

This happens because of the efficiency of your digestive system. When you swallow food, it moves down the esophagus into your stomach, where enzymes and acids begin breaking it down.

Afterward, the partially digested food moves into the intestine, where your liver and pancreas assist in breaking it down further. The nutrients from this food fuel your body, while any undigested portions are sent to the colon to be turned into waste.

Generally, gum consists of four main components, and our body can break down three of them easily. The flavorings, sweeteners, and softeners are easily handled by digestion. The one exception is the gum base, which is made primarily from synthetic chemicals, giving gum its chewy texture. These chemicals are resistant to the digestive enzymes in your mouth, but once swallowed, the gum base undergoes the same digestive process as any other food. Once it’s recognized as non-nutritive, it follows the same path as other waste.

Chewing gum dates back over 7,000 years, with evidence found in the form of tar lumps bearing human teeth marks. Modern chewing gum originated in the 1860s when exiled Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (famous for capturing the Alamo in March 1836) introduced chicle to gum manufacturer Thomas Adams, who turned it into gum. However, the origin of the gum-swallowing myth is much less certain. Despite the continued health of those who swallow gum, the rumor endures. Perhaps it persists because, every now and then, a medical case involving swallowed gum surfaces.

David Milov and his team shared some case studies in the journal Pediatrics, highlighting children who ignored warnings about swallowing gum—and suffered the consequences. One boy, after swallowing five to seven pieces of gum daily for years, developed severe constipation that lasted two years. The resulting ‘taffy-like’ trail of fecal matter, largely made up of gum, had to be suctioned out of his rectum [source: Milov].

However, gum doesn't actually stay in your digestive system for seven years. The boy with the ‘taffy-like’ trail was only four when the procedure to remove it took place. Though it’s possible some gum stayed in his system for years, the medical intervention prevented that from becoming a seven-year ordeal. The boy will forever be a case in point for parents' fears, but the seven-year myth remains just that—a myth. And that's probably for the best.