Why Are Tums Made of Chalk? Exploring the Composition of the Popular Medicine

Tums are a staple of medicine cabinets around the globe, boasting simple ingredients and effectively relieving upset stomachs. If you are someone who sometimes experiences mild heartburn, it's likely that at some point, a healthcare provider has recommended keeping a bottle of Tums on hand just in case.

The texture of Tums tablets is famously chalky, but is there a specific reason why Tums are made of chalk?

It's important to consult with a physician to ensure that if you are experiencing symptoms related to heartburn and stomach issues, these concerns are properly diagnosed and treated by a healthcare professional.

All of that said, let's explore why Tums tablets are made from chalk and what benefit this provides to consumers.

As Reader's Digest explains, the prominent ingredient in Tums is calcium carbonate, also found in chalk. The calcium carbonate within Tums gives the brand's tablets its trademark chalky texture. Furthermore, the mechanism by which calcium carbonate neutralizes stomach acid that contributes to digestive discomfort is a fascinating bit of science.

Per Reader's Digest, the excess stomach acid contributing to the sense of an upset stomach is counteracted because calcium carbonate is a base, chemically speaking. The hydrogen ions of acids bond to the hydroxide ions within bases and the resulting chemical reaction is water — and a stomach that is less achy thanks to relatively fast-acting relief.

Per Pharmacy Times, the chalky nature of Tums is so effective because of what's described as "gastrointestinal motility" and "peristalsis." Translation, per Cleveland Clinic: food is digested effectively through the gastrointestinal tract, and that nagging stomach pain is neutralized.

While Tums and sidewalk chalk both share the chemical calcium as one component within their bases, they are not the same thing. If you are experiencing digestive distress, you should not reach for a handful of sidewalk chalk and expect the same safe results.

Per the American Chemical Society, sidewalk chalk also contains sulfate, which Tums does not.

While some Tums products do not contain animal-derived byproducts, per the brand's frequently asked questions page, its Smoothies Assorted Fruit tablets do contain dairy. Sidewalk chalk, of course, does not contain dairy.

According to the resource Chemistry is Life, some sidewalk chalk contains water, powdered paint, and Plaster of Paris, which is powdered gypsum. While Tums include certain controversial FD&C colors, they do not contain powdered paint.

Per the Georgia Poison Center, if a child ingests a very small amount of sidewalk chalk, it is likely nontoxic. However, sidewalk chalk may pose a choking hazard for some children.

According to the Tums frequently asked questions page, Tums is safe for children ages 12 and older. If a child younger than 12 accidentally ingests Tums, the Missouri Poison Center recommends giving them water and a snack and not to induce vomiting.