Emergency Operation Necessary after 5-Year-Old Boy Swallows 40 Chewing Gum Pieces

A 5-year-old boy in the US had to undergo an emergency operation after swallowing 40 pieces of chewing gum.

The boy suffered from cramps and diarrhoea due to the gum blocking his gastrointestinal tract.

Doctors removed the gum by using a metal tube and forceps, and the boy was later discharged without long-term health consequences.

While it is not true that swallowed gum stays in the body for only seven years, consuming gum regularly can cause intestinal distress and blockages.