Analysis revealed that just 1 gram of chewing gum released approximately 100 microplastics on average, with 1 gram of some gums releasing as many as 637 microplastics. A typical stick of gum can weigh anywhere from 1 gram to several grams, according to various reports.

Researchers have found yet another potential contributor to the increasing amount of microplastics found in our bodies: gum. According to a pilot study presented during the American Chemical Society’s spring meeting,

Chewing a single piece of gum can release hundreds to thousands of pieces of microplastic into the saliva in your mouth—likely to go on to be swallowed. This is the warning of researchers from the University of California,