By the end of his first two press conferences as White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer had (most likely) already chewed 35 sticks of Orbit gum and swallowed them. This is unproven, but based on an August 2016 profile of Spicer by The Washington Post, it is possible. Per the Post:
Even when he is not speaking, [his mouth] works on overdrive, churning through pieces of Orbit cinnamon gum, which he chews and swallows whole. Notwithstanding his line of work, the man just can't stand a gross-feeling mouth. "Two and a half packs by noon," said Spicer. "I talked to my doctor about it, he said it's no problem."
This is assuming, of course, that Spicer sticks to Orbit cinnamon gum, which comes in a 14-stick pack. So how bad is this habit, anyway?
Not very. Gum, despite playground folklore, generally glides through the digestive system almost intact. The body generally gets rid of it through regular bowel movements, though the Mayo Clinic reports that in rare cases it can block children's intestines if swallowed in large quantities when the child is constipated. Despite that relatively low danger, doctors don't recommend swallowing because gum has literally zero nutritional value for the gut and is also a choking hazard.
Motherboard says:
So three main things can happen when you swallow gum: First, as your stomach enzymes try to break it down, the sugars and other ingredients can get digested. Then, those that don't get digested may ferment. Fermentation might cause bloating or gas, but otherwise can feel pretty innocuous. Finally, components like the rubbery parts might just end up in the stool—which [Dr. Daniel Motola, a Manhattan-based gastroenterologist] compares to loose pieces of corn, for instance.
As far as vices go, swallowing 35 sticks of gum by noon is healthier than smoking 35 cigarettes by noon or eating 35 french fries by noon. But it is not healthier than not swallowing 35 sticks of gum by noon.
