From stress relief to simply keeping the mouth occupied, chewing gum has become a unique part of daily routines for many. But what fuels this simple act—soothing habit, or addiction?
Habitual gum chewers share how this seemingly harmless practice has taken root in their lives. For some, it’s a comforting routine; for others, it’s an identity.
Anthony Wachira, 46, proudly calls himself a 'chewist.' He has even mastered the art of chewing so discreetly that he can hide the gum between his upper lip and teeth, all while eating snacks at the same time.
Doesn’t he swallow bit of the gum?
“Noooo! The gum doesn’t even pick up food particles,” he says, laughing. “My daughter can do it too—I guess I’ve influenced her. We’ve got skills!”
Anthony’s habit began in his 20s, mainly to keep his breath fresh after meals. “I read somewhere that saliva naturally cleans your mouth, and chewing gum is one way to produce more of it,” he shares.
Anthony Wachira, 46, proudly calls himself a 'chewist'.
Photo credit: Pool
Once the habit took hold, he didn’t mind it, though he’s learned to avoid chewing in places where it might be considered rude. As soon as the habit had formed in his mid 20s, Anthony did not mind it and says only those around him were bothered.
"You know some people consider chewing gum as being rude so I try not to chew it in places it could be considered rude but of course, I forget from time to time. There was this time in church someone passed a note saying, 'please, stop chewing'," he explains.
How much gum does he chew daily?
“Oh! That's the funny part. I can go through just two or three pieces. I chew long after the flavor is gone, so I don’t need to pop in a new piece often,” he says, favouring Orbit peppermint and PK menthol.
He once surprised his colleagues by saying that if he had to stock up for the end of the world, he’d choose gum.
“People thought I was crazy.”
Has he experienced any negative health effects?
“No! I have heard that habitual chewers tend to
develop ulcers, but that doesn't happen for me, even if I haven't eaten. In fact, chewing gum helps exercise my jaw, that is why I look young.”
Anthony does not consider himself a chewing gum addict. “It is a habit I can live without for two days."
Chewing on and off
For Gladys Frederik, gum chewing is an on-and-off affair. Due to her job, she finds it disrespectful to chew around clients. But on busy days, she’ll chew gum before and after work, especially when feeling anxious, bored, or stressed.
“When I start chewing, it can be constant for a week. I usually buy Juicy Fruit for Sh50 a day,” she says.
“When the sweetness fades, I keep adding more pellets until it’s too big to chew.”
Her family often comments on her loud chewing.
“My family constantly raises it as a concern asking, 'Wewe unatafuna aje kwa nguvu? (Why are you chewing so loudly?)”
Her habit is not without pain.
“After I take a break and then start over, the pain in my jaw and the area around my ears is too much. Eating becomes difficult.”
Like Anthony, she does not consider herself an addict. “It has not reached that point. I can do without it and also my environment pulls me back so I can regulate it myself,” she says emphatically.
Chewing gum on my broken tooth…pure bliss
Connie Kariuki, 26, started chewing gum to break a childhood habit of poking her gums when she was in primary school.
Connie Kariuki, 26, who chews up to 10 Big Gs in a day.
Photo credit: Pool
“I would stick my finger or toothpick in my mouth and poke my gums. Every time I was idle, stressed or just thinking, that is what I would do.”
By the time she overcame her childhood habit, Connie was spending Sh100 a week on chewing gums in the university.
What are her favourite brands?
“Big G because of its taste and texture. Some other brands if you chew the gum, it loses its sweetness real fast and becomes hard. Orbit or PK comes in second place because you can carry them around, especially the Sh25 ones.”
While her habit has reduced over time, Connie finds special pleasure in chewing on a broken tooth, saying it makes her feel better.
“It feels much better when I'm chewing on that tooth. I don't know why," she says laughing.
Sometimes, though, she chews so much that her jaw hurts, or her mouth fills with saliva. She can't feel her tongue. “It becomes heavy,” she says.
She once tried to kick out the habit.
“During my campus days, because I could not chew in class but lately, I haven't tried,” Connie saying adding that she has a fool-proof strategy to stop the habit from deteriorating into an addiction.
“What I apply as a strategy to reduce my gum consumption is to avoid having gum on me at all times or being at the shop or supermarket because I do not want to be tempted. If I have to go, I tell myself, 'Girl no! don't grab gum and it works,” she says proudly.
Chewing keeps mouth busy
Keya Kalama, 34, began chewing gum regularly in 2011 as a way to lose weight. She believed chewing would curb her appetite.
"Back then, I was young and naïve and felt the pressure to fit into the standards of the society that idolised petite girls. I weighed way more than average and I had read that chewing gum would help in weight loss. I was not ready to go to the gym so chewing gum was the easiest way out," she tells Lifestyle.
Besides affecting the gut, Dr Mwasamwaja says that excessive chewing can also cause joint problems.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Over time, Keya realised that her habit had gotten out of control when she found herself buying more than three packets a day. Chewing gum had become a staple on her shopping list, no matter what she originally went to buy.
These days, she only chews a pack a day, but it’s become an essential part of her routine, particularly during stressful times.
“I only chew about one whole packet, which contains 10 pieces, a day, and it costs Sh70. It's more of a financial commitment now. If I need to focus, I make sure to have a packet in my bag.”
For Keya, her go-to brand is Orbit, which she says provides the sensory experience she craves.
In the 13 years Keya has been chewing gum, she says gum not only gives her relief but also keeps her mouth busy distracting her in a good way.
“It is a quick fix during stressful times and my go-to when I need to be alone. When I cannot chew, I feel restless, anxious and uncomfortable. I feel as though I'm missing something.”
Has she suffered negative health effects?
“Naah, never! As much as I love chewing, I'm a health freak. But, since chewing gum makes me bloated, you know because you swallow a lot of air, I'm always armed with water. I drink more than two litres a day. I also take care of my teeth. I brush twice a day,” says Keya.
Keya believes that while chewing gum is a strong habit, it’s not an addiction.
“It is a thin line between the two and I guess it depends on how much it impacts my daily life. I do not think it is a problem really. It does not severely harm me,” she says.
Gastroenterologist's take
Dr Amos Mwasamwaja, a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Aga Khan University Hospital shares that chewing gum is mostly recommended after surgery to stimulate the gastrointestinal (GI) movement.
Dr Amos Mwasamwaja, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital.
Photo credit: Pool
Although the results are conflicting, he notes that chewing helps promote gut movement and early discharge.
“Women who give birth by caesarean section, patients who had surgery of their intestine (colorectal surgeries) may bloat and chewing can help them pass flatus (wind),” he explains.
Additionally, chewing can come in handy when one cannot hear in an airplane during changes in altitude, which affects the cabin pressure.
“Chewing stimulates the muscles to open, allowing air to move in and out of the middle ear, balancing the pressure,” he explains.
What does Dr Mwasamwaja consider to be excessive gum chewing?
“Chewing at least every day; most of the time. Sometimes, you see, we swallow saliva. On a normal day, you may swallow around one and a half litres. But when you chew, you put more excess.”
Besides affecting the gut, Dr Mwasamwaja says that excessive chewing can also cause joint problems.
“You can have an injury, like with arthritis, dislocation, and pain in the ears because there is a connection between your throat, nose and ears,” he elaborates.
Nonetheless, Dr Mwasamwaja insists that not everybody who chews will have those symptoms and effects because bodies respond differently.
