"Overall gum chewing is more beneficial than it is harmful, " says Dr. Michael Benninger, chairman of the Head and Neck Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
That device will use the color LCD touch screen that made the iPhone a success, chewing far more energy than electronic ink but giving users a more versatile experience than mere reading, including Web browsing and video.
The changes were made because it was discovered that infective endocarditis is more likely to occur after frequent exposure to bacteria from routine activities such as chewing food or brushing one's teeth than from occasional dental, gastrointestinal tract or genitourinary tract procedures.
More than a few so-called cherries have proven to be held together with chewing gum or rubber bands, or were found floating in some swamp after a hurricane.