Is it safe to swallow bubblegum?
“Safe” is a bit of a vague word, so let’s start at the top. As the gum passes down your throat, it’s quite a large foreign object, so there’s a chance of choking on it, especially in the smaller oesophagus of a child. Once it gets into the stomach, the digestive juices will try to destroy it, but it’s not as soluble as most foods, so a lot of it will get through. It will pass through in a few days, and may be visible in the faeces (but who wants to look at them anyway?!) I suppose a big enough chunk could strain the sphincter as it’s forced through, but that’s pretty unlikely. I suppose the simple answer is “don’t worry if you’ve accidentally swallowed it, but don’t go doing it on purpose!
