Preceden

History of Chewing Gum Timeline

(c. chewing gum origins–Present)

The history of chewing gum spans thousands of years, evolving from natural tree saps and resins used by ancient peoples into a mass-produced global confection and a popular sugar-free oral-care product. Less

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins and commercialization

Curtis develops commercial spruce gum

1848

John B. Curtis developed and sold The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum, identified as the first commercial chewing gum.

Paraffin-wax gum is developed

1850

A chewing gum made from paraffin wax, a petroleum product, was developed around 1850.

Image source: Chewing gum

Paraffin-wax gum is developed

Adams markets chicle gum

1871

Chicle was cut into strips and marketed as Adams New York Chewing Gum, helping establish chicle as an important chewing-gum base.

Patents and popular brands

Semple files an early gum patent

Dec 28, 1869

William F. Semple, a dentist from Mount Vernon, Ohio, filed an early chewing-gum patent, number 98,304.

Black Jack is introduced

1884

Black Jack, flavored with licorice, became one of the early popular chewing gums.

Chiclets are introduced

1899

Chiclets appeared in 1899 and became one of the early popular chewing-gum brands.

Brady patents wrapper cutting attachment

Feb 23, 1909

James Henry Brady, an employee of the Colgan Gum Company, patented US 913,352, a web-cutting attachment for wrapping machines that automatically cut wrappers for sticks of chewing gum.

Image source: James H. Brady

Brady patents wrapper cutting attachment

Brady patents gum chip machine

Aug 2, 1910

Brady licensed US 966,160, the Chewing Gum Chip Forming Machine, for automatically cutting chips of chewing gum from larger sticks.

Wrigley's Spearmint remains available

2026

Wrigley's Spearmint Gum is identified as an early popular gum that is still around today.

Chiclets remains available

2026

Chiclets is identified as an early popular gum that is still around today.

Black Jack remains available

2026

Black Jack is identified as an early popular gum that is still around today.

Regulation and market changes

Singapore outlaws chewing gum

1992

The Singapore government outlawed chewing gum in 1992, citing discarded gum becoming wedged in the sliding doors of MRT trains and concerns about general cleanliness.

Image source: Chewing gum sales ban in Singapore

Singapore outlaws chewing gum

U.S. gum popularity declines

2000 - 2025

In the United States, chewing gum experienced a decline in popularity in the early 21st century as it lost associations with counterculture and teenage rebelliousness.

Singapore permits prescribed sugarless gum

2004

In 2004, Singapore allowed sugarless gum to be sold in pharmacies when prescribed by a doctor or dentist, following the Singapore–United States Free Trade Agreement.

Singapore–United States trade agreement affects gum policy

2004

The Singapore–United States Free Trade Agreement was associated with Singapore's 2004 allowance for prescribed sugarless chewing gum.

Average U.S. gum pack price reaches $2.71

2023

By 2023, the average price of a pack of gum had increased by $1.01 from 2018, reaching $2.71.

U.S. gum demand returns in dollar terms

2023

Demand was back up to the pre-pandemic level in dollar terms in 2023, although the increase reflected inflation rather than a full recovery in volume.

Health and environmental issues

Constipation case linked to gum consumption

1998

A 1998 paper described a four-year-old boy referred with a two-year history of constipation in a medical discussion involving chewing gum.

Oxford Street gum litter is measured

2000

A study on Oxford Street, one of London's busiest shopping streets, found a quarter of a million black or white blobs of chewing gum stuck to its pavement.

Rev7 Gum is sold

2010 - 2012

Rev7 Gum was briefly available for sale from 2010 to 2012 as an example of a gum product associated with a different formulation.

Canada completes vinyl acetate assessment

Jan 31, 2010

The Government of Canada's final assessment concluded that exposure to vinyl acetate was not considered harmful to human health.

Research finds cognitive benefits of chewing

2011

A 2011 study found strong evidence of improvement in working memory, episodic memory, and speed of perception associated with chewing gum.

Chewing gum fall case is reported

2012

A 2012 report described a 42-year-old woman who fell on the stairs while chewing gum.

BBC reports gum-to-plastic recycling

2018

The BBC reported on British designer Anna Bullus and her method of collecting and recycling chewing gum into plastic.

Chewing gum is identified as major litter

2018

The BBC noted that chewing-gum litter was the second most common form of litter, behind cigarette litter.

Key Facts

  1. Ancient peoples, including the Greeks, Mayans, and Indigenous communities in North America, chewed natural resins, saps, and waxes.
  2. The ancient Greeks chewed mastic, a resin gathered from the mastic tree on the island of Chios.
  3. In the 19th century, chicle from sapodilla trees became a key ingredient in commercially manufactured chewing gum.
  4. John B. Curtis began selling commercial chewing gum in the United States in the 1840s, helping establish the modern industry.
  5. Sugar-free gum, often sweetened with xylitol or sorbitol, became increasingly popular because it can stimulate saliva and support dental health.

Source

This History of Chewing Gum timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free