Chewing gum before surgery is likely to be safe

It is commonplace to be asked not to eat or drink before operations so as to prevent complications from anaesthetics, but until now it has been unclear if the same is true for chewing gum. Now a small (not yet published) study has found that it’s probably nothing to worry about.
A total of 67 people who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures were split into two groups. About half were allowed to chew gum until just before the start of the procedure, with no limit on the amount or type of gum, or duration of chewing. The other patients did not chew gum.
Those who chewed gum had significantly increased volume of fluids in the stomach compared to those who didn’t chew gum. But it was still safe to administer sedatives or anaesthesia to the people who chewed gum, according to the research team.
“The effect of chewing gum on fasting has been a subject of debate, and unsuspecting patients who chew gum before surgery may face cancellation or delay of their procedure,” explains study author, Dr Basavana Goudra. “We found that although chewing gum before surgery increases the production of saliva and thus the volume of stomach liquids, it does not affect the level of stomach acidity in a way that would elevate the risk of complications.
“While we wouldn’t actively encourage gum chewing in patients presenting for procedures involving anesthesia, in the absence of other aspiration risk factors, patients who inadvertently chew gum should not face cancellation or delay of a surgery or procedure with anesthesia.”

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