Okay, I confess. I am addicted to gum and mints. I can’t help myself. I pop one after I eat, while I am driving in the car, at my desk, and in the movie theater. My addiction knows no bounds. I am having one right now! Don’t judge me. I know I am not the only one who loves the feeling of minty fresh breath anytime, anywhere. For people like me, Wrigley is here to help.
There have been many developments in gum technology over the years. We have seen gum that whitens, gum that fights tooth decay, gum that gives you more energy and gum that comes in six feet of bubble tape (for you, not them). Adding to this growing market of dual-purpose gum, Wrigley has developed a patent for metallic gum.
No, I don’t mean gum that glitters like a disco ball in your mouth (although that would be cool). Wrigley has patented a gum formula containing zinc and copper. These metals have been proven to fight halitosis, a.k.a. bad breath, better than ever before. While it has never been my life’s ambition to chew my way through the periodic table of elements, I must admit I am curious about this latest development in chewing gum science.
Previous attempts at crafting chewing gum containing metallic ingredients have failed due to its “astringency and metallic taste.†Translation: They tasted like a penny dipped in the Dead Sea – not exactly appealing. Wrigley claims to have created a formula that contains enough minty goodness to combat the taste of the metals.
Will this new metallic gum join the ranks of such Wrigley’s favorites as Doublemint and Big Red? Or, will it leave us with a bad taste in our mouths?
