Why does chewing gum melt or sort of fall apart in my mouth if I've been crying?

[not_what_you_d_expect]

Question is in the title.

I’m assuming it must be some sort of chemical reaction but, what specifically is happening.

[Jackmannii]

Could be tear duct drainage entering your nasal cavities and dripping down into your throat, producing enough fluid and mucus to soften gum.

Didn’t the 1910 Fruitgum Company have a song about that?

[not_what_you_d_expect]

I don’t know about the song.

But thanks for the answer. I was crying so much yesterday about Ukraine, my gum just sort of disintegrated and it made me curious.

[its_the_daddy]

Dunno, but it sure loses its flavo(u)r on the bedpost overnight.

[not_what_you_d_expect]

That’s the whole reason my bed has no posts.

[Briny_Deep]

Some interesting speculation, and maybe info, here:

Does passionate kissing cause your chewing gum to disintegrate?

And a single comment on that column here, with speculation about stress-induced ketones in the saliva:

Gum Disintegration

I have had this happen to me under stressful situations before, but never connected it to stress. I used to chew gum in class to help stay awake (I’m narcoleptic) and during particularly stressful exams it would basically dissolve. Last night, at a marriage counseling session, the gum I was chewing disintegrated near the end of the session. Afterwards, I realized that the strange taste in my mouth that accompanied this event reminded me of the metallic taste I get sometimes when I am in ket…

[lobotomyboy63]

Are you chewing your usual gum? I notice if I buy gum from Aldi it isn’t as rubbery as other brands. Less chicle in it or something? I don’t know…