Gum Chewing

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What's everyone's opinions on chewing gum while on the job?

Just curious because I love to chew gum but I feel as though no one in my hospital does it. :eek:

Specializes in Psychiatry.
I have NEVER EVER seen an adult drop their gum out of their mouth. Where the heck do you come from that this is an issue?

Gonna get me some Fruit Stripes. Gonna chew it at work AND apply the tattoo from the wrapper!

Oooooooooooooh! I'm a baaaaaaaad girl I am!!!!!

LOL

:yeah:

Rock on!!

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I have NEVER EVER seen an adult drop their gum out of their mouth. Where the heck do you come from that this is an issue?

I don't care whether you believe a study is credible or not. I don't even care what that study says.

I know I like my gum.

I know I can chew it like an adult.

I know I can hide it or spit it out if I have to do so.

It truly is one of life's rare little pleasures that actually doesn't give you cancer or land you in jail.

Gonna get me some Fruit Stripes. Gonna chew it at work AND apply the tattoo from the wrapper!

Oooooooooooooh! I'm a baaaaaaaad girl I am!!!!!

LOL

:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::up::up::up::up:

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I agree that it looks unprofessional and I can't stand to be around anyone chewing gum!

BUT, I LOVE doing it!! I love the taste of a fresh piece, I love cracking it. I hate the way it makes me look, though. I try to limit it to a little while after lunch.

It's such a dillemma.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

The only ones that ever know that I am a habitual gum chewer are the people that see me pop the gum in my mouth and the ones who make it a point to complain on how much they hate gum chewers.

I once proved a point by showing how gross it was to put a half a box of tic tacs in my mouth-one piece of gum was nothing in comparison.

Seriously though, I have chewed gum undetected in every place that forbids it since I was in grade school.

Let's start complaining about all those people that can't keep their mouths closed when they chew food. Now, that is really gross!

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I can't chew gum at work. I haven't learned to chew responsibly. When the flavor starts to fade, I habitually put a fresh piece in with the old one until no more gum is left and there is a giant blob to contend with. Best not to chance it. :uhoh21:

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It makes me kind of self conscious now. I chew gum often, but don't smack or make popping sounds. Could I really work with someone who might see me put the piece in my mouth and think I am unprofessional based on what they see? Scary!

On a side note, doesn't everything have the potential to be unprofessional?

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I'd be interested in seeing supporting data for this claim more than I would any of the others mentioned here. Because if the aspartame in gum is bad, well. . . let's just say my diet soda intake would be cause for concern. . . been drinking that stuff since it was cyclamates that were going to kill me. :eek:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16507461

The results of this mega-experiment indicate that APM is a multipotential carcinogenic agent, even at a daily dose of 20 mg/kg body weight, much less than the current acceptable daily intake. On the basis of these results, a reevaluation of the present guidelines on the use and consumption of APM is urgent and cannot be delayed.

this article is from 2006 currently they recommend we don't exceed more than 50mg a day but there is a fight on to get this lowered to 10mg consumption a day

http://dorway.com/dorwblog/efsas-review-of-ramazzinis-second-aspartame-study-shows-sellout/

this is basically an interpretation of the above article for those no used to reading scientific journals (some ppl find them a bit different to those we read for nursing (I was a neuroscience major first hence my love of the scientific articles!)

http://www.dorway.com/doctors.txt

compilation of various links to articles by assorted doctors

http://smallbitesnutrition.blogspot.com/2009/02/you-ask-i-answer-aspartamechewing-gum.html

A neat little blog re. it with some discussion at the bottom

Perhaps aim to get aspartame free gum or at least minimise consumption. I do think gum chewing at work (in various settings) is unprofessional however for me it is much more of a health thing.

If you google or search a database u might be linked with you will see many people and doctors have linked gum consumption and subsequently aspartame consumption with migraines and tummy upsets etc

Ooo and finally I found this very left wing article http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_chewing_gum.htm it holds truth in its routes of absorption/side effects however unless the person had a sensitivity to this additive I highly doubt the reaction would be this extreme otherwise gum would be off the market!

Sorry to go on but I find it interesting :-) It's a personal habit much like smoking or drinking so each to his/her own I say :-)

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I don't have a problem with gum. I DO have a problem with chewing with your mouth open and sounding like a camel when you have a stick of gum in your mouth. To me, that shows a lack of professionalism, and, dare I say it, MANNERS. I don't think it's good to go into a patient's room while chewing gum (or having it in your mouth) and I don't care how quietly you chew it. It's a huge pet peeve for many people and it may be for that patient. As far as chewing it at the nurses station, eh, to each his own. But I hate when I'm talking to a someone (let's say about a patient's condition or something) and they're talking with the gum in their mouth. I just think it's basic politeness and shows good manners. I'm not going to go talking smack about what a disgusting fool you are to everyone, but some people may perceive it as being a little disrespectful or impolite. (I have many memories of my grandmother's stern looks when it comes to gum chewing.)

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.

I don't have any problem with gum chewing as long as it is quiet. I worked with someone who quit smoking and started gum chewing. She chewed very loudly at the nurses station and in pt rooms, it was awful! Don't know what came out of it because I left shortly after.

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Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
i have never ever seen an adult drop their gum out of their mouth. where the heck do you come from that this is an issue?

i don't care whether you believe a study is credible or not. i don't even care what that study says.

i know i like my gum.

i know i can chew it like an adult.

i know i can hide it or spit it out if i have to do so.

it truly is one of life's rare little pleasures that actually doesn't give you cancer or land you in jail.

gonna get me some fruit stripes. gonna chew it at work and apply the tattoo from the wrapper!

oooooooooooooh! i'm a baaaaaaaad girl i am!!!!!

lol

perhaps some readers haven't taken statistics classes, or haven't heard that in order for any study to be valid. it has to involve at least 1,000 people/samples and have a concurrent double blind study of others, to compare results. then it should be replicated with the same result obtained.

well, i guess you have no children, and no one in your family has any....... so what the hey, you don't have to be anyone's role model, or do you?, as a nurse/health educator.

young children chew gum in great quantities, having been given it by dentists, parents, etc. they chew as many pieces as they can get into their mouths at once, take it out, manipulate it with dirty hands after it's dropped on the floor, sometimes drooling.......

here's something to consider if you enable others to chew gum (especially the phenylalanine and formaldehide parts:

an extremely large number of toxicity reactions to aspartame has been reported. as of 1995, when the fda was quoted as saying they stopped accepting adverse reaction reports on aspartame, over 75% of the adverse reactions reported to the fda adverse reaction monitoring system (arms) were due to aspartame. after considering the fact that an extremely low percentage of adverse reactions are reported to the fda, it becomes clear that there are millions of known cases of aspartame toxicity reactions and possibly many other cases where the person ingesting aspartame is either

  • unaware that their symptoms are caused or contributed to by aspartame; or
  • not yet experiencing clinically-obvious symptoms from the breakdown products of aspartame, but may eventually experience chronic health problems from the regular exposure to significant doses of formaldehyde.

aspartame is made up of three chemicals. it is a mixture of 40% aspartic acid, 50% phenylalanine, and 10% methanol (also known as wood alcohol -- poison!) although there are no publicized studies to substantiate the risks of aspartame, there are many who suffer from adverse reactions. as at the time of writing, there were 92 adverse reactions to aspartame that have been reported to the fda.

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Uh... my guess would be that as far as role model stuff goes, chewing gum does not make the list of activities that might push the young and innocent to the very edge of that perilous cliff that juts out over a certain abyss of doom and despair. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
Uh... my guess would be that as far as role model stuff goes, chewing gum does not make the list of activities that might push the young and innocent to the very edge of that perilous cliff that juts out over a certain abyss of doom and despair. :uhoh3:

Possibly, and (notice that I didn't say "but"?) taking up the habit to emulate you, could cause a kid to have brain disorders. :icon_roll

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