• Question: Why does chewing gum stick to everything except your teeth and tongue?

    Asked by pranay900 to Alexis, Dr D, Jasmine, Mario on 27 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Mario Ruiz

      Mario Ruiz answered on 27 Jun 2013:


      Actually, chewing gum does not stick to everything, but I know what you mean! In general, our teeth and tongue are always in contact with saliva, and that prevents chewing gum to get stick to them by reducing the ‘stickiness’ (very scientific term!). Just try the following: stick a chewing gum in a piece of paper, then do the same but dipping the paper in water before. The second doesn’t stick as well as the first, right?

      Note: DO NOT attempt this on dry/wet hair! You could end up visiting the hairdresser for a radical hair cut!

    • Photo: Alexis Barr

      Alexis Barr answered on 27 Jun 2013:


      This is a really good question. Mario’s answered it well already. It’s basically because your mouth is wet. Another interesting fact though – is did you know scientists have found evidence that chewing gum was used as far back as 5000 years ago? They found chewing gum made from tree bark with teeth marks in it. Modern chewing gum is made from a type of rubber.

    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 27 Jun 2013:


      Lubrication!

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