A startling study from UCLA has found that a single piece of chewing gum could release up to 3,000 microplastic particles into your mouth. With many gums made from synthetic polymers, scientists warn of the potential health risks from frequent exposure, especially among children. The findings have sparked calls for urgent Caribbean research into everyday products, as questions grow about what else consumers might be unknowingly ingesting.

Chewing gum and microplastics

A wake-up call for Caribbean science and society

Jamaica Gleaner/12 Apr 2025

Leroy Fearon/contributor Leroy Fearon is the Acting Dean, Faculty of Education, The Mico University College, author and researcher. Email feedback to: leroyfearon85@gmail.com and editorial@ gleanerjm.com

ARECENT groundbreaking study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has revealled that chewing gum – an everyday habit for millions – might be releasing up to 3,000 microplastic particles into the mouth with each chew.

This revelation is not only shocking; it is a scientific red flag waving furiously in the face of public health and environmental consciousness.

The study, which examined a variety of commercially available chewing gums, found that many contain synthetic polymers – plastics – used to give gum its stretchy, chewable quality.

As these gums are chewed, they release microplastic fragments, which might then be swallowed or absorbed in small quantities through the lining of the mouth. This raises serious questions about long-term exposure, particularly given how frequently gum is consumed, often by children and adolescents.

Whilst the UCLA study focused on products widely available in North America, its implications are deeply relevant to the Caribbean, where chewing gum is a common habit across age groups. Yet, there is a noticeable lack of regional research into the chemical compositions of popular food items, hygiene products, and even water sources. If microplastics are being silently ingested through such a seemingly harmless habit, what else might the region be overlooking?

This is a clarion call to Caribbean scientists, universities, and research institutions: There is an urgent need to investigate.

Localised studies must be conducted to examine the microplastic content in our markets, identify the risks to public health, and provide culturally relevant alternatives and solutions.

CHALLENGE EXISTING NORMS

Beyond this issue, the moment demands a broader regional reflection. Somewhere along the journey, Caribbean societies – rooted in ancestral wisdom and empirical observation – have drifted away from the discipline of questioning.

People have become passive consumers of information rather than active producers of knowledge. Research must return to its rightful place as a daily practice, a cultural norm, and a national priority.

There is a need to inspire Caribbean youth to question more, investigate thoroughly, and challenge existing norms. Whether it is a stick of gum, the water we drink, or the food on our plates, nothing should be exempt from scrutiny.

Scientific inquiry must be democratised – not limited to laboratories and universities, but present in classrooms, communities, and national dialogue. Now is not the time for complacency. Regional public health agencies, ministries of education, scientific councils, and research bodies must collaborate to fund and facilitate this kind of investigative work. Let this be a moment to reconnect with the inquisitive spirit that has long been part of the Caribbean identity.

Let us ask more questions. Let us research more deeply. Let us protect our people, not only through laws and policies, but through the power of knowledge. The gum in one’s mouth may appear harmless, or it might be plastic.

We will never know until we ask. And science always begins with a question. I hope this question will yield fruitful results in the near future and our people can be guided accordingly.

The study, which examined a variety of commercially available chewing gums, found that many contain synthetic polymers – plastics – used to give gum its stretchy, chewable quality.

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