Your chewing gum probably contains plastic, and every piece could release thousands of microplastic particles into your saliva. For years, I chewed Xylitol gum for cavity prevention. That changed when I discovered nearly all chewing gums are made from plastic polymers derived from petroleum. Check your gum's packaging: if it lists "gum base" as an ingredient, you're chewing on plastic. Realizing this prompted me to switch to plastic-free alternatives. I use Simply Gum and True Gum (no affiliation). Both are entirely plant-based, using natural tree sap as their base.