Why you shouldn't swallow gum: an explanation of the ban from childhood

Since childhood, we all remember the horror story about what horrors can happen if you swallow gum. Then almost everyone did it by accident once or twice, and nothing catastrophic usually happened. Is the warning about why you shouldn't swallow gum a myth?

As OBOZREVATEL has found out, the scare story does have some serious grounds. Although chewing gum is completely safe in its composition and will not turn into something toxic if it enters the digestive system, its shape and size pose a danger.

Unlike food, chewing gum is not broken down into separate substances and passes through the human body in a virtually unchanged form. This can lead to intestinal obstruction. Especially in children whose intestinal lumen is much narrower. This is expressed by symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting and severe headaches.

Another danger posed by chewing gum is the risk that it will get stuck in the throat and cause suffocation. And this is deadly. Therefore, it is better not to experiment with whether you can swallow gum.

What to do if you swallow gum

First of all, do not panic. There is no need to call an ambulance and request an urgent operation to remove the gum. Keep a close eye on how you are feeling, but do not try to find any symptoms on purpose. At first, you may feel discomfort in the throat because an unusually large object has just passed through the oesophagus. Later, you may feel unpleasant sensations in the abdomen. They will soon go away on their own - after 2-3 days, you can cancel the high alert regime completely. You should seek help if you have really severe symptoms of obstruction.

Previously OBOZREVATEL told why you should limit consumption of popcorn.

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