|  |     
    
    	I am of the philossophy that *no one* looks attractive while
    chewing gum. (this was dutifully drilled into me by a high school
    teacher who made his students who were chewing gum wear the gum on
    thier noses for the rest of the class).
    
    	Even as an instructor on the college level if I have a student who
    is *smacking* their gum, I bring over the wastebasket and ask them to
    dispose of it. (I also ask students to not *click* their pens - tough
    teacher I am).
    
    	Gum is not intended to be swallowed. Provided though that she does
    not eat pounds of it, it probably won't do any harm to her digestive
    system.
    
    	As one who suffers from jaw damage, even the thought of chewing gum
    makes me cringe with the imagined pain. I have no desire to chew it and
    it will not be introduced to our kids. Gum is just something I think we
    could all live without.
    
    			Wendy
 | 
|  |     Well, my 36 year old friend has the same problem with her gum.  It's a
    natural rection for her to swallow anything she chews!  Since she's
    been doing it all her life and currently has no ill effects from it,
    I'd have to conclude that your guess is as good as mine!
    
    -sandy
    
 | 
|  |     I occasionally chew gum.  My 3 year old has asked for it, and I've
    given her very small pieces on two occasions.  The first time, about
    three months ago, she swallowed it, so I told her it was off limits.
    
    She asked to try it again recently and promised not to swallow it.  
    This time, she chewed it for a very short while, and then just threw it
    out.  So, I'm okay with that.
    
    I don't want her swallowing it, and she seems to understand that this
    isn't like other foods.  I guess I have an attitude about this, but I
    really don't want her swallowing it and wouldn't give it to her if she
    won't follow the rules.
    
    judy
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