NEWS 48

You may have heard from your 2nd grade teacher that if you swallow your gum, it could stay in your
stomach forever. Or worse, it could grow into a (1) _rubber tree in your stomach___________________.

The process breaks food into smaller and smaller pieces, increasing the surface area.

Meanwhile, (2) __saliva coats__________________ those pieces, delivering enzymes that help break
down the food.

Finally, once swallowed, the stomach acids turn any remaining food pieces into mush. This lets the food
pass through the rest of the (3) __digestive tract smoothly__________________.

Gum has been around for much longer than you'd think. Ancient Mayans and Aztecs (4) __harvested
raisins__________________ from the Sapodilla tree.

However, most gum today is made from natural or (5) __synthetic polymers__________________, most
commonly butyl rubber.

It’s used in all kinds of products, including adhesives, (6) _fiber optic___________________, sealants,
cling film, paper, fuel, explosives, sporting equipment, roofing, (7) ___bottle
stoppers_________________, and tires.

The muscles of your digestive tract move it along and eventually (😎 __ __________________ of your
system in a day or two, along with everything else.

This gum mass could potentially clog your digestive tract, causing an (9) _ intestinal
blokage___________________ which can trigger stomach (10) __pain or
constipation__________________.

A couple small studies have shown that the act of chewing gum can actually help relax you. Because it
can help reduce levels of cortisol — a (11) _common stress hormone___________________ — in your
saliva.