# Is digestion affected by chewing gum?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 25, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380 "2003-05-25T07:28:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/1 "2003-05-25T07:28:12Z")

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If I eat a meal and follow it up with some chewing gum (chewed and eventually spit out, not swallowed), will the chewing action speed up or otherwise affect the digestive process?

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**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/2 "2003-05-25T13:32:37Z")

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Don’t know about the digestion question. But it may help with [acid reflux.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030520/hl_nm/reflux_gum_dc_1)

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**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/3 "2003-05-25T14:07:19Z")

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If I recall basic health, starches need saliva for digestion, so if chewing produses saliva I would say it might help.

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**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/4 "2003-05-26T00:27:31Z")

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Probably. Stomach funtion is enhanced by chewing. Of course ismply having food in the stomach cuases the stomach to start working, so the effect is probably small. Chewing before a meal would probbaly of greater benefit.

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**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/5 "2003-05-26T00:40:52Z")

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Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-digestion-affected-by-chewing-gum/177380/6 "2003-05-26T02:15:38Z")

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Chewing gum may also increase the amount of air you swallow, producing excess gas.