what happens if u swallow gum

Swallowing gum is not harmful, but it is not recommended to make a habit of it. The human body cannot digest the gum base, but it will move through the digestive system and come out in your stool about 40 hours later, just like almost everything else you eat. Swallowing one piece of gum every now and then is not likely to do any harm, but swallowing a lot of gum in a short period of time, such as one piece a day for a week, or a mega-wad consisting of four pieces of gum at a time, can put your digestive system in danger. In rare cases, swallowing a large mass of gum, or many small pieces of gum over a short period of time, can block the digestive tract, especially when gum is swallowed along with foreign objects, like coins, or when swallowed with nondigestible materials like sunflower seeds. If you think you have an intestinal blockage, see your doctor immediately.