Chewing gum releases hundreds of tiny plastic pieces straight into people's mouths, researchers said on Tuesday, also warning of the pollution created by the rubber-based sweet.

The researchers' analysis revealed that the lion's share of the microplastics were released from the gum in the first two minutes of chewing—thanks to the mechanical action, rather than the enzymatic properties of saliva—reaching 94 percent within eight minutes.

Learn more about the tiny particles that can come off of your gum — what is essentially a soft piece of plastic — as you chew.