# I Swallow My Gum -- Why Disgusting? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148 "2003-01-12T16:33:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/1 "2003-01-12T16:33:52Z")
I like gum. Sometimes I chew it at work. And when I’m done, I swallow it. To my mind, this is far less disgusting than putting it in the garbage. I don’t do that with most other foods. Yet, the nurses I work with find it disgusting I swallow gum, largely since they were taught not to. I’ve had professional nurses tell me it will stay in my guts for seven years or block my stomach. When did this hang-up get started? Does it disgust you that I swallow my gum? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/2 "2003-01-12T16:49:24Z")
Yes. We’re all thinkin’ “Juicy Fruit Poop.” ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/3 "2003-01-12T16:50:45Z")
Gum doesn’t taste as good the second time round. ---
**Author:** ![Regina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d78d45/32.png) [@Regina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regina)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/4 "2003-01-12T16:52:44Z")
[Cecil sez](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_059.html) it won’t hurt you. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/5 "2003-01-12T16:59:44Z")
The reason the nurses find the habit disgusting is that swallowing running against the norm. You can return to normalcy by always placing it underneath a chair or table. To your credit, at least you haven’t been swallowing someone else’s gum. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/6 "2003-01-12T17:35:07Z")
You can blow your nose on your dinner napkin and eat your boogers too without coming to mortal harm, it’s just not particularly good form in polite company. While not deadly I don’t think the interaction of the polyterpenes and polyvinyl acetate used as a gum base ingredient in the gum’s manufacturing process and the stong acids of your stomach are going to be particulary benefical for you as it travels through your body, but hey, if gum eating is your thing live it up Doc! ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/7 "2003-01-12T19:28:20Z")
I wish every gum chewer would swallow their gum rather than spit it out on the sidewalk where I can (and usually do) step on it. :eek: Yuck! You know how it gets stuck up in the treads of your shoe… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/8 "2003-01-12T19:35:25Z")
I can envision a large pink bubble coming out your arse when you pass the proverbial gas, though. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/9 "2003-01-12T19:49:24Z")
I swallowed quite bit of gum as a kid, and a small amount of paper. Hey…maybe I could produce a wrapped stick of old gum if only I had the muscular control to do so… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/10 "2003-01-12T20:39:42Z")
It doesn’t bother me—I swallow my gum, too. In fact, I have a hard time chewing bum without swallowing it, sort of just happens automatically, not “when I’m done with it”. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/11 "2003-01-12T21:01:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*… In fact, I have a hard time chewing bum without swallowing it,… \*\* Chewing **bum**? Oh my! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/12 "2003-01-13T02:12:28Z")
I swallow gum and I’m damn proud of it! ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/13 "2003-01-13T03:22:57Z")
Ahhh, typos. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/14 "2003-01-13T03:42:37Z")
I have always swallowed my gum, and sometimes not intentionally, as **ericlover** said. I do think it is disgusting\* to spit it out the window, as I see so many people do. - But then, I smoke cirgarettes! Go figure! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/15 "2003-01-13T06:48:29Z")
As a child, I was told not to swallow my gum, because my mother was afraid I would choke on it. (I usually swallow my gum as well) ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/16 "2003-01-13T15:16:57Z")
I always swallow my gum as well. Other people have said that it’s gross, and I reply with, “well, to me it’s a hell of a lot grosser to see someone take a chewed up wad of blubby stuff from their mouth, wrap it up with paper, oozing out the sides, and throw it out.” That usually stops them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/17 "2003-01-13T15:38:54Z")
What!? You swallow your own… …oh. You said **G** um. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/18 "2003-01-13T16:07:40Z")
I’m a doctor’s son, so the “7 year” old wives tale never stuck at our house. I swallow it in bits. I have seen the end result…it looks pretty much the same. ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/19 "2003-01-13T20:43:01Z")
It stays in your stomach for 7 years? What did it do, bring it’s own kettle and invoke “squatters rights” or something? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148/20 "2003-01-13T21:15:55Z")
Yeah, sure it was a typo, **erislover**. WHATEVER. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swallow-my-gum-why-disgusting/148148.md?page=2)