Researchers at UCLA found that chewing gum – even gum labeled "natural" – can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested.

Chewing gum releases hundreds to thousands of microplastics into your mouth, a new study suggests. Chewing gum's base ingredient is synthetic rubber, which is a type of plastic. A stick of gum is ...

Extrapolating this further, a 2–6 gram piece of gum may release as many as 3,000 microplastics. Multiply that by the average amount of gum chewed annually, that you could be looking at around ...

But chewing gum with sugar once in a while doesn’t pose major health risks, especially if you have good oral hygiene. Sugar-free gum has less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving and uses ...

You may have another culprit to consider: It’s gum, according to a new pilot study that found chewing just one piece can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into saliva.

Study Subject Chewed Each Piece of Gum for 4 or 20 Minutes. To find out more about microplastics and chewing gum, scientists analyzed 10 popular chewing gum brands, five natural and five synthetic.

Gum chewing may exacerbate jaw problems among people who are prone to issues or injuries with the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, which connects the jawbone to the skull, Dr. Arsenault said.

Each gram of chewing gum could release up to 637 microplastic particles, with 94% released within the first 8 minutes of chewing. Synthetic and natural plant-based gums released similar amounts of ...

While many people chew gum for fresh breath or enjoyment, studies show this habit can positively impact both physical and mental well-being in significant ways. 1. Enhanced cognitive performance ...