Frankincense, mastic and chicle from the manilkara zapodilla tree were the first substances used by ancient people for chewing. The biblically mentioned Frankincense is probably the most well-known resin tree, but mastic gum, which gave the English language the word ‘masticate’ (to chew), is still widely chewed today by many Greeks and Middle Easterners to clean teeth and freshen breath. In the early 1800s, lumps of spruce gum were sold in the eastern United States, making it the first commercial chewing gum. Sweetened paraffin wax became an acceptable alternative around 1850 and eventually surpassed spruce gum in popularity.

Modern chewing gum evolved from a chicle-based gum brought to the United States in the early 1860s. Chicle is derived from the sap of the zapodilla tree that grows in tropical rain forests of Central America. Due to the increased popularity of chewing gums, the demand for chicle rose quickly. But, as chicle-suppliers soon realized, their ability to supply chicle was determined by the trees in which it was derived. The trees needed an average of four to eight years of rest between tappings. When chicle-bearing trees of Central America could not keep up with demand, manufacturers turned to synthetic gum bases to continue their business. Paraffin, originally discovered in 1830, was an option as it is colourless, odourless, tasteless and plentiful but others kept searching for a better material. William F. Semple, an Ohio dentist, took out the first patent for 'modern' gum in December 1869 when he decided to commercially manufacture a rubber based product he had developed for jaw exercise and gum stimulation.

A multi-billion dollar industry eventually grew from that first patent and today there are virtually countless varieties available. Most modern gum is man-made and is divided into two major categories - chewing and bubble gum, with the latter having more elasticity. In recent years, non-stick gum bases for chewing and bubble gums have been formulated to satisfy the needs of consumers who have dental work.