You generally should not chew gum during the fasting hours of Ramadan, and many scholars say it can break the fast or is at least strongly discouraged.

Quick Scoop: Short Answer

  • Most contemporary scholars say regular chewing gum (with sugar or flavor) breaks the fast because particles, calories, and flavor enter the throat and stomach.
  • A minority opinion allows completely flavorless, non‑crumbly gum in cases of need, but still considers it disliked and best avoided.
  • Practically: if you are fasting, avoid gum from fajr (dawn) to maghrib (sunset), and use other methods for freshness or dryness instead.

Why Chewing Gum Is a Problem

During Ramadan, fasting means no food or drink entering the stomach from dawn to sunset. Chewing gum raises two main issues:

  1. Ingesting substances
    • Most commercial gums contain sugars, sweeteners, flavors, and other ingredients that are released into the saliva and swallowed, which is considered a form of consumption and breaks the fast.
  1. Nature of modern gum
    • Classical “gum” (like mastic) sometimes didn’t dissolve, so some jurists treated it differently. Modern gums usually release flavor and tiny particles, so they fall under the ruling of ingesting something.

Think of it this way: even if you don’t swallow the gum itself, you are swallowing what comes out of it.

Different Scholarly Views (In Simple Terms)

Most mainstream contemporary fatwa centers and scholars say:

  • Regular flavored gum (with sugar or sweeteners):
    • Breaks the fast because its ingredients dissolve and are swallowed.
  • Flavorless, non‑crumbly gum:
    • Some scholars and fatwa sites say: technically it may not break the fast if nothing dissolves and no taste reaches the throat.
* Even then, they usually add: it’s **strongly disliked** , can easily lead to mistakes, and can confuse others who see you chewing.

Example of this nuanced view:

  • Some fatwas say: if the gum truly has no particles and no flavor entering the throat, it does not break the fast , but should be avoided unless there’s a real need, because it might crumble or be misunderstood by others.

So you have:

  • A strict majority practice : “Don’t chew gum while fasting.”
  • A narrow technical allowance : “Exceptionally, certain completely tasteless, non‑crumbly gum might be allowed but still disliked.”

Practical Alternatives During Fasting Hours

If your main concern is bad breath or dryness, here are options scholars often mention as better:

  • Miswak / siwak (tooth stick): Widely accepted and even recommended during fasting.
  • Brushing teeth carefully (without swallowing paste or water), especially before fajr and after iftar; many scholars allow careful brushing during the day, though some prefer toothpaste without strong flavor.
  • Rinsing mouth with water (without swallowing) to reduce dryness.
  • Hydrating well at suhoor and iftar to help with daytime dryness.

Social and “Appearance” Factor

Even if someone used technically permissible, flavorless gum, scholars highlight a social issue:

  • People seeing you chewing might assume you’re not fasting or disrespecting Ramadan.
  • Because Ramadan is both personal and communal, avoiding anything that looks like eating or drinking is advised to prevent confusion and suspicion.

That’s why many fatwa centers say: even if something is technically allowed, don’t do it openly if it looks like breaking the fast.

Current/Trending Discussion Angle

Every year as Ramadan approaches, questions like “can you chew gum during Ramadan” trend again, especially on social platforms and Q&A sites. Many Muslims ask due to:

  • Long working hours and concern about bad breath.
  • Office environments where people usually chew gum or mints.

Modern articles and forum discussions usually end at the same practical advice:

  • Avoid chewing gum from dawn to sunset.
  • Use miswak, careful tooth brushing, and good suhoor/iftar habits instead.

Simple Guideline You Can Follow

If you want a clear, safe rule:

  1. From fajr to maghrib:
    • Do not chew gum (of any type) while fasting.
  2. If you have special circumstances (e.g., medical, severe dryness):
    • Ask a trusted local scholar or imam who knows your situation and madhhab.
  3. After maghrib:
    • You may chew gum as normal, since the fasting time has ended.

Quick HTML Table for Clarity

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Type</th>
      <th>Ruling While Fasting</th>
      <th>Reason / Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Regular flavored gum (with sugar or sweeteners)</td>
      <td>Breaks the fast</td>
      <td>Ingredients dissolve, are swallowed, and count as intake.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Sugar-free but flavored gum</td>
      <td>Generally treated as breaking the fast</td>
      <td>Flavoring and additives still dissolve and are swallowed.[web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Completely flavorless, non‑crumbly gum</td>
      <td>Some say does not *technically* break fast; strongly disliked</td>
      <td>Allowed by some only if nothing dissolves; still discouraged and can confuse others.[web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Miswak / siwak</td>
      <td>Permissible and recommended</td>
      <td>Used traditionally for oral hygiene during fasting.[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Careful tooth brushing</td>
      <td>Generally permissible if nothing is swallowed</td>
      <td>Better done before fajr and after iftar; avoid swallowing paste or water.[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR

  • From a safe, widely accepted perspective: do not chew gum while fasting in Ramadan.
  • If you’re unsure or have special needs, ask a knowledgeable local imam, but in everyday cases, it’s easiest and safest to avoid gum until after maghrib.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.