Nicotine gum is a FDA-approved NRT, or nicotine replacement therapy, product used as a smoking cessation aid. It works by delivering low amounts of nicotine into the bloodstream, which helps people to cope with the withdrawn symptoms, including irritability and insomnia, and lessen the craving to smoke cigarettes, according to Drugs.com. Nicotine gum is meant to be chewed and not swallowed. Like all medicines, nicotine gum may cause harmful effects on health.
Mouth Ulcers
Some users of nicotine gum experience ulceration in the mouth and heart burn, according to FreePatentOnline. Multiple blisters or vesicles form on any part of the oral mucosa, especially in the tongue and gingival or gums, followed by ulcers. People with mouth ulcers may experience serious complications if they don't get early treatments. If nicotine chewing gum is found to be the etiology of your mouth ulcer, then further courses may not be advised, if the symptoms persist. Patients can switch to other NRT products such as nicotine patches or nasal spray.
Respiratory Effects
The use nicotine chewing gum has been found to exacerbate bronchospasm, a sudden, abnormal constriction of the smooth muscles in the walls of the bronchioles, in people with reversible obstructive airway diseases, usually asthma, according to Drugs.com. Tobacco concentrates are processed into nicotine gum. The asthma symptoms can be acute, because the chronically inflamed and constricted air passages in asthma patients become highly sensitive to things, like tobacco.
Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding
Women who use nicotine gum during the early stages of pregnancy increase the chance of growth restriction, preterm birth and miscarriage, according to Drugs.com. Nicotine gum inflicts damage on the fetus. Women who are planning pregnancy or pregnant are warned of chewing nicotine gum to aid smoking cessation, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Mothers who breast feed their child also shouldn't use nicotine gum, because nicotine excretes into the breast milk and may cause infant toxicity, adds Drugs.com.
