# Can people have gum in their mouth and not chew? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294 "2008-04-07T10:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/1 "2008-04-07T10:38:15Z")
I find that when it is in my mouth I cannot stop chewing the gum. I can stop for a few seconds but that is all. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/2 "2008-04-07T10:50:00Z")
When I was in AIT, it was frowned upon to chew gum and talk to a Drill Sergeant at the same time. But sometimes they caught you off guard. So yeah, it’s totally anecdotal, but I can stop chewing for a long time with gum in my mouth. I’d say I’ve gone at least an hour before. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/3 "2008-04-07T11:15:10Z")
If you’ve ever used nicotine gum, you learn not to chew all the time _very_ quickly. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/4 "2008-04-07T11:48:59Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] If you’ve ever used nicotine gum, you learn not to chew all the time _very_ quickly. [/QUOTE] Why? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/5 "2008-04-07T13:07:49Z")
[QUOTE=blinkingblinking] Why? [/QUOTE] It releases nicotine when you chew. It may have have a pleasantly minty taste to begin with, but it pretty soon tastes like you’re chewing a cigarette. The idea is to chew a little to get a hit of nicotine, then tuck it into the side of your mouth. Repeat as required. If you chew it constantly you’ll end up feeling pretty sick. Unless you’re used to chewing tobacco, I suppose. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/6 "2008-04-08T01:42:07Z")
I chew gum only when I can’t brush my teeth right away. After a few minutes of chewing, it starts to gag me. So sometimes I tuck it between my upper teeth and cheek. That way I still get minty-fresh flavor but not gag-inducing texture. Other times I just give up and go brush my teeth. (I brush my teeth a lot. It gets old sometimes.) Overall, it’s really the more satisfying experience. Best, karol ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/7 "2008-04-08T02:01:32Z")
I find that gum breaks down more quickly if held in the mouth without chewing. Wrigley’s spearmint takes a while, but Everest gum will disolve into goo if held in your mouth for only a couple of hours. If you’ve never had gum break down to goo, be warned that once it starts getting that thin/soft feeling where you think its the process is starting, you’ve only got a couple minutes to get rid of it while it’s still semi-cohesive. Once its broken down to liquid, its difficult to get rid of without making a mess. You alwas get this thin sticky film on your lips and god-knows-what else. And it doesn’t wash or wipe off easily. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-have-gum-in-their-mouth-and-not-chew/444294/8 "2008-04-08T02:49:19Z")
When I was a kid, I had the habit of pressing it between my gums and inside of my upper lip (or gums and lower lip). I kinda looked like a boxer with a mouth protector.