What happens when you swallow gum?

Gum goes down to your tummy. It leaves because your body pushes food along. It does not stick there. Later, it comes out in poop.

When you swallow gum, it goes to your tummy like food. Your body takes what it can from it, but the chewy part does not break apart much. So your body pushes it along, like a toy car rolling down a track, and it comes out in poop. It does not stay for years. It is still better not to swallow lots of gum.

Swallowed gum travels through your digestive system, the path food takes through your body. Your stomach juices and enzymes, tiny helpers that break food apart, can wash away sugar and flavor. But the rubbery gum base does not break down much. Your intestines squeeze it along with everything else, and it leaves in poop, usually in a day or a few days. It does not stay for seven years. Fun fact: people chewed tree sap like gum thousands of years ago.