• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Millennials in total agreement over childhood myth that some people still believe to this day

Home> Community> Life

Published 17:45 7 Jan 2025 GMT

Millennials in total agreement over childhood myth that some people still believe to this day

It's had us fooled for decades...

Ellie Kemp

Ellie Kemp

Millennials are in agreement over a childhood myth that's had many of us fooled for decades.

Growing up, we were told an awful lot of stories by parents, teachers and, of course, other kids.

The classic: 'Don't stand too close to the TV, or your eyes will turn square' is one I'll never forget.

Or how about: 'Don't rock back on your chair, or you'll fall back and crack your head open.'

Advert

I mean, that's technically not a lie, but it seemed odd that every single school teacher had the exact same story to tell...

Raise your hand if you've heard the story of the kid who cracked their head open... (Nikada/Getty Images)
Raise your hand if you've heard the story of the kid who cracked their head open... (Nikada/Getty Images)

Fair enough, the adults in our lives were only looking out for our health.

And perhaps that's where this now-debunked childhood myth has come from?

Advert

Naturally, people have been taking to Reddit to discuss what it was like growing up as a millennial.

Taking to the social media site's R/AskReddit section, one person asked: "Millennials, what's something you were taught growing up that turned out to be completely wrong in adulthood?"

There were a number of stellar examples, including the food pyramid - which apparently recommended up to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta daily - and that the belief that Beanie Babies would be worth 'a bunch of money' in the future.

Were you also terrified of swallowing gum as a kid? (RyanJLane/Getty Images)
Were you also terrified of swallowing gum as a kid? (RyanJLane/Getty Images)

Advert

But one comment particularly resonated with others.

"Don't swallow gum, it will stay in your stomach for x years," one person shared, as another filled the blank with: "Seven years!"

Seven appeared to be the magic number, as one person recalled: "My 40 year old wife still believes this."

Another explained: "I never heard 'stay in' for 7 years, I always heard, 'it takes 7 years to digest.'

Advert

"Which I think is true if it stayed in, but your body actually just passes it through undigested with everything else."

You'd soon know if you had a wad of gum lodged in your intestines... (Kinga Krzemińska/Getty Images)
You'd soon know if you had a wad of gum lodged in your intestines... (Kinga Krzemińska/Getty Images)

Meanwhile someone else chipped in: "I'm 70 and heard this. It's been a myth for a long time lol."

Turns out, this isn't the case at all.

Advert

According to McGill University gum, like other undigested foods, will pass through your system within 24 to 48 hours - so, not quite seven years!

And it 'generally isn't harmful' to swallow a piece of gum, as per Mayo Clinic.

The medical site explained: "Folklore suggests that swallowed gum sits in your stomach for seven years before it can be digested. But this isn't true.

"If you swallow gum, it's true that your body can't digest it.

Advert

"But the gum doesn't stay in your stomach. It moves relatively intact through your digestive system and is excreted in your stool."

On rare occasions, however, 'large amounts' of swallowed gum can block intestines in children - but this would cause quite a bit of pain.

Perhaps we were told the 'seven year' story as children to put us off chewing - or even eating - gum in the first place.

The more you know!

Featured Image Credit: Eva Katalin/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Topics: Health, Nostalgia, Reddit, Community

Ellie Kemp
Ellie Kemp

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Woman who filmed CEO and employee on Coldplay jumbotron speaks out after shocking video goes viral

    The concert goer filmed the now viral moment and posted it to TikTok

    Community
  • 8 hours ago

    Man named Andy Byron speaks out after being mistaken for CEO caught with employee on Coldplay jumbotron

    Businessowner Andy Byron had to make clear he was 'not that Andy Byron' after the CEO of Astronomer went viral

    Community
  • 9 hours ago

    People point out Chris Martin’s ‘messy’ reaction after CEO caught with employee on Coldplay kiss cam

    Martin admitted he wasn't 'sure what to do' after Andy Byron disappeared from the camera

    Community
  • 11 hours ago

    Truth behind viral statement after married CEO caught with employee on Coldplay jumbotron

    The statement attributed to Andy Byron emerged on an X account belonging to 'Peter Enis'

    Community
  • Only people with 'sniper vision' can find the car in this photo and it's much harder than you think
  • People left divided after hearing 'joke' man was fired over after he said it directly to CEO
  • 'Healthy' woman, 29, diagnosed with stage 3 cancer urges people to get checked if they experience one change to their body
  • People can’t get over pistol shooter’s ‘casual’ reaction to breaking world record and getting gold