Spit or swallow? Is it really that bad to swallow gum?

File this one away in the Old Wives' Tale folder. It does not, in fact, take you seven years to digest gum if you accidentally swallow it, says Chicago-based gastroenterology expert Charles Baum, M.D. According to Baum, any gum that does somehow end up in your stomach should pass through in less than a day's time--undigested.

But, while swallowing gum is generally considered safe, chewing gum is another story. Sure, an occasional stick is fine, but chew it all the time and you may be in for trouble. "Chewing gum too often can lead to tooth decay and problems with the jaw's joints," cautions Baum. And Baum adds that sugar-free gum, while better than sweetened gum, contains artificial sweeteners, which can give some people serious diarrhea and gas. Now that blows.

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