Medicinal gum

[bandit957]

Anyone ever use medicinal chewing gum?

Back when I was 12, I caught some virus. I had already missed too much school, so the doctor recommended a medicinal gum in a futile attempt to treat it. I brang this gum to school. But you couldn't blow bubbles with it, because it was too stiff.

I remember that this gum was red, and it was completely ineffective as a medicine.

This would have been 1985-86. Do they still make gum like this? Or did they just give up because it was so ineffective?

[Max Rockatansky]

Nicotine Gum isn't medicinal enough for you?

[Scott5114]

I'm surprised there isn't cannabis gum. Maybe there's some technical reason for that, because I assume someone would have done it already if there wasn't.

[kphoger]

I'm surprised there isn't cannabis gum. Maybe there's some technical reason for that, because I assume someone would have done it already if there wasn't.

1.  I think it has to do with how well or how poorly it's absorbed by different tissues in your mouth.

2.  It does exist, just not in most US markets.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Anyone ever use medicinal chewing gum?

Back when I was 12, I caught some virus. I had already missed too much school, so the doctor recommended a medicinal gum in a futile attempt to treat it. I brang this gum to school. But you couldn't blow bubbles with it, because it was too stiff.

I remember that this gum was red, and it was completely ineffective as a medicine.

This would have been 1985-86. Do they still make gum like this? Or did they just give up because it was so ineffective?

Other than nicotine gum, because obviously, the most noteworthy medicated chewing gum in the United States was Aspergum, which contained 227mg of aspirin and was intended for sore throat relief. Aspergum was discontinued because giving aspirin to children recovering from viral illness is now contraindicated (because it can cause Reye syndrome). The actual medication was within the gum's coating and would dissolve as you chewed it. I'm old enough to have actually taken Aspergum, and it honestly didn't work as well as just plain aspirin or ibuprofen. Aspirin is also not well absorbed topically, so directly applying aspirin to the painful area isn't helpful either.

Medicated gums aren't really very common anymore, although Bayer recently released an Alka-Seltzer Heartburn Relief chewing gum that contains calcium carbonate as the active ingredient. I honestly don't understand the point as, for me, chewing gum when my stomach is upset makes the situation worse. I'd rather just chew a couple of Tums (also calcium carbonate).

[SEWIGuy]

Anyone ever use medicinal chewing gum?

Back when I was 12, I caught some virus. I had already missed too much school, so the doctor recommended a medicinal gum in a futile attempt to treat it. I brang this gum to school. But you couldn't blow bubbles with it, because it was too stiff.

I remember that this gum was red, and it was completely ineffective as a medicine.

This would have been 1985-86. Do they still make gum like this? Or did they just give up because it was so ineffective?

Other than nicotine gum, because obviously, the most noteworthy medicated chewing gum in the United States was Aspergum, which contained 227mg of aspirin and was intended for sore throat relief. Aspergum was discontinued because giving aspirin to children recovering from viral illness is now contraindicated (because it can cause Reye syndrome). The actual medication was within the gum's coating and would dissolve as you chewed it. I'm old enough to have actually taken Aspergum, and it honestly didn't work as well as just plain aspirin or ibuprofen. Aspirin is also not well absorbed topically, so directly applying aspirin to the painful area isn't helpful either.

Medicated gums aren't really very common anymore, although Bayer recently released an Alka-Seltzer Heartburn Relief chewing gum that contains calcium carbonate as the active ingredient. I honestly don't understand the point as, for me, chewing gum when my stomach is upset makes the situation worse. I'd rather just chew a couple of Tums (also calcium carbonate).

I think a lot less people chew gum these days. That's just a completely anecdotal observation on my part.

[kphoger]

I think a lot less people chew gum these days.

I think you mean 'bubbling'.

[bandit957]

I think a lot less people chew gum these days.

People still chew gum, but they don't blow bubbles nearly as much.

[Dirt Roads]

Anyone ever use medicinal chewing gum?

Back when I was 12, I caught some virus. I had already missed too much school, so the doctor recommended a medicinal gum in a futile attempt to treat it. I brang this gum to school. But you couldn't blow bubbles with it, because it was too stiff.

I remember that this gum was red, and it was completely ineffective as a medicine.

This would have been 1985-86. Do they still make gum like this? Or did they just give up because it was so ineffective?

Perhaps this is what you are thinking about?  Beemans gum was made with pepsin to sooth an upset stomach.  I remember that a good number of ole-timey doctors in West Virginia would recommend Beemans as an alternative to a stronger medication.  Caldwell's Syrup also had pepsin, but in such a large dosage to be effective as a laxative.  Despite the (intentionally) misleading name, Pepsi-Cola never had pepsin. 

Just to be sure (one way or the other), you can try out Beemans gum in the nostalgia section at your local Cracker Barrel (and many Ace Hardware stores carry all of the same nostalgia gums, perhaps a little less expensive). 

Beemans gum was discontinued in 1978, but it came back out as a nostalgia gum (for the first time) without the pepsin.  It certainly wouldn't work, and your doctor "missed the office memo".  Beemans gum still has a strong wintergreen flavor, hence the resemblance to Pepto-Bismol (which tries to mask the pink bismuth with a teaberry flavor).  In my younger days, I scoured the mountains of West Virginia for both teaberry leaves (also known as wild wintergreen), which I used as a substitute for "chawin' backer".

For the record, Beemans gum (and most other herbal "medicinals") had to quit promoting any medicinal effects after the FD&C Act of 1938.  Those "ole-timey docs" that I referred to must have also "missed the office memo".

[bandit957]

Perhaps this is what you are thinking about?

I think it was some medicine brand.

[Molandfreak]

I like caffeinated gum. It's a lot better than a 5-hour energy and a lot better for you than an energy drink. The only problem is that it's pretty hard to find if you don't know what to look for.