Kids and Gum

My son is 3.5 and I still don't let him chew gum.. He has some friends his age that do and has asked a few times but I always tell him "when he gets to be a bigger boy he can" and he's totally fine with that.. If I can help it, I prefer for him not to chew gum...
I think I'm more nervous because when I was young I used to chew a ton of it and ALWAYS swallow it... One night I swallowed so much gum (gumball machine at my friends house) that I was sick puking for a whole entire night..
There's not a lot of benefits from gum, so if I can keep him away from it, I will. He's not "super interested" in it though so its easier for me..

Depends on which kid.

Some kids are better at these things. Really.
My son, we waited until he was like, 3 or 4 years old. He wasn't ever really interested anyway, so no big deal. He still isn't much of a gum chewer.

My daughter, started around 2 or 2 1/2 yrs. She NEVER swallowed it, choked on it, or anything else scary. She has REALLY long beautiful straight blonde hair, and I was worried she would get it in her hair and have to cut it... nope. Only happened once, when she took a nap with a piece in her mouth (forgot to spit it out and I didn't realize) and it came out when she was asleep. We got it right out with PB. And she was even more careful after that. She mostly chewed it in the car or when we were out of the house shopping (groceries, walmart, etc). She is 9 now, and still is my "gum chewer"... always asking for gum. I buy the kind with xylitol which actually helps prevent cavities (most non-bubble gum gum is made with it these days). Trident, Stride, Orbit... that kind.

It also helped her break her finger nail chewing habit.

I let my kids start chewing sugarless gum (supervised) around 5 years old. It helps because at that age, they still have trouble brushing teeth, and this stimulates saliva to loosen and get rid of food stuck in the teeth. I made it clear what the rules were before they got them and for the first year or so (you know your children best) they had to be supervised especially when it comes to disposing it.

Good luck

We just started letting our son chew gum a month
ago. He will be 3 at the end of July. He can understand
now that he's not supposed to swallow it (though he has
swallowed it a couple times.)

Once my boys understood how to spit their toothpaste out. They were about 3 y/o & it was just a tiny piece because my youngest would occasionally swallow it. Now my boys are 8.5 & 4.5 & I let them both have a stick of gum (rarely). My youngest usually nibbles pieces then asks for a tissue to spit it out on.

God bless!

We have 2 strict rules about gum. It belongs in 2 places only: 1) your mouth and 2) in the garbage can. If I see it any other place, it automatically must go in the garbage can. This helps to prevent gum handling/mishaps.

My kids are 8 and 5. They have both had gum and recently won a pack each as a prize at VBS (vacation bible school) Don't remember the ages they started. It is tightly controlled and out of reach. No way can they have access to it. Much too dangerous.

We said age 4. I don't remember what happened to make us choose 4 but that is what it is and as each child turns 4 that is very special for them.

Almost 4 years old when I was sure she understood not to swallow it or stick it to other surfaces.

My son is almost nine and has never chewed gum. He just hasn't showed any interest in it. I have no problem with him chewing it....only surgerless of course when and if he decides to. :)

My kids don't chew much gum, it's a rare occurrence. Not because I have anything against gum, just because I don't chew it so it's not here. But I know we have let my 3 year old have some before. We told him, several times, to make sure that when it didn't taste good anymore he spit it into the trash. He did, but if he hadn't I wouldn't have given him anymore for awhile.

I think it depends on your child. We let our son chew it at around age 2 1/2 because he was responsible with it and knew to keep it in his mouth or the garbage can.

My 4 year old just started chewing when he turned 4. We've had a few mishaps with gum being deposited in the WRONG place, so we now have a rule that he can only chew it when outside the house.

2 1/2 - 3 - And the rule is "in your mouth or in the trash" no exceptions.

I would have waited til she turned three, but she was about 2.5 and hasn't had any trouble so far. I think she swallowed it once, but that's been it. I don't let her have it when she's in the car.

I'm responding because I would like to know the answer myself. My son turned 3 at the end of April and has chewed gum before. I wouldn't have given any to him but my neighbor came over one night and gave it to him. My husband doesn't let him have any but he always asks for it when he sees the bubble gum machine out in stores. I'd rather he not have it either because he swallows it all the time or takes it out of his mouth and plays with it.

3 for my kids. Sugar free gum tho and no bubbleicious type stuff.

Both of my boys started chewing gum sweetened with Xylitol when they were about 2 1/2. They were very good with it. They never swallowed or choked on it, but that's because I taught them to behave responsibly about it and explained to them the cost in time and money it would take to remove it from the carpet or furniture if they left it on there (in simple terms they could understand). They were very understanding of my rules about gum and have behaved well about it.

I chose Xylitol sweetened gum because Xylitol actually prevent cavities. Ask your dentist. My kids' dentist asked at their last check-up if they chewed gum and I said that I only allow Xylitol gum. She was very pleased with that and said it was what she was going to tell me to do in the first place. Neither of them has every had a cavity.

Some of the Trident Splash gums have Xylitol and the new Ice Breakers Ice Cubes have it too. These have great flavors that kids love! Just look at the ingredients when you buy gum and make sure it's there.

the "Easter bunny" brought gum for my girls this year... my one daughter had just turned 5, and the other one was 3.5 (just turned 4 this week). I sat down with them and explained that they cannot swallow it, and they have to keep it in their mouths, and put it in the trash when they are done. they have been so responsible with it, it's been great!

Hi K.,

I let my girls start chewing gum when their cousin (same age) quit putting it under my furniture and in my carpet, lol. That was about age 10! It's a special treat in our house (or an airplane trip) because almost all of them have artificial sweetners in them. Nutrisweet has been proven to cause brain damage.

Now that they are older, they don't ever want it unless a friend is buying some too! Neither of my girls has ever had a cavity.

M.