Swallowing gum: Is it harmful?

My 6-year-old daughter accidentally swallowed a wad of chewing gum. Should I be concerned?

- Julia / Malaysia

Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Picco, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Although chewing gum is designed to be chewed and not swallowed, it isn't harmful if swallowed. An old wives' tale suggests that swallowed gum sits in your stomach for seven years before it can be digested. But this isn't true. If you swallow gum, it's true that your body can't digest it. But the gum doesn't sit in your stomach. It progresses relatively intact through your digestive system and is excreted in your stool.