the present invention provides a degradable chewing gum base , degradable chewing gum , and methods of making a degradable chewing gum base and degradable chewing gum . the degradable chewing gum base includes at least one polymer or oligomer with at least two ionic groups . the polymers and oligomers possess the chewing characteristics and texture traditionally desired in a chewing gum while simultaneously providing materials which , when exposed to environmental conditions , break down to non - toxic molecules readily assimilated by nature .