Is Swallowing Chewing Gum Dangerous?

Out of Class

I read Q&A section in this website The Straight Dope about a person asking if swallowing chewing gum was dangerous. Apparently this person, Patrick, chews an average of eight to ten sticks of gum each day and he always swallows the gum he eats. His friends were shocked when he told them about this so he was wondering if doing so was really dangerous.

According to the answerer of the website, Cecil Adams, it was not dangerous to swallow chewing gum and the rumored consequences, such as the gum staying in one's stomach for seven years, were ridiculous. Yes, chewing gum is indigestible, but humans eat many indigestible things.

This funny Q&A reminded me of I was afraid of eating seeds of fruits when I was young. I believed that if I ate the seeds, the seeds would stay in stomach and grow into a tree. I couldn't let that happen! So whenever I eat watermelons, I have to pick out the seeds before eating them. It's funny how I believed that seeds would grow in my stomach when I was young. Now the whole idea just seemed ridiculous. I think nowadays, even adults believe in many things although the things are ridiculous. Why do we believe in them? Maybe it was caused by fear. Sometimes, we just don't think consciously enough with our heads.

Source of image:
http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/347451-13019-39.jpg