What hidden source of microplastics was revealed in a recent UCLA study?
Chewing gum isn’t just sticky — it may be silently delivering microplastics into your body, according to a new study from UCLA.
Researchers found that just one piece of gum can release hundreds of tiny plastic fragments into a person’s saliva. In some brands, that number soared to over 600 microplastic pieces per gram of gum.
UCLA researcher Lisa Lowe personally chewed 70 pieces of gum across 10 brands, then had her saliva analyzed. The results: people who chew an average of 180 pieces of gum a year could be swallowing up to 30,000 microplastics — without realizing it.
Lead scientist Sanjay Mohanty emphasized that the goal isn’t to scare people — and there’s no direct evidence yet linking microplastics to human illness. But this study adds to a growing list of ways plastic is entering our bodies, from bottled water to the very air we breathe.
And while chewing gum is just one small contributor, it’s one we literally put in our mouths every day.
