You step back, take a breath, and begin to think through your options. Quite honestly, it’s overwhelming. Do you go with spearmint or wintergreen? Cinnamon or bubble? Eventually, you slap a 14-pack on the counter and $1.49 later, you’re back on your way with a fresh taste in your mouth, 13 pieces remaining, and usually, 13 classmates tapping on your shoulder next class with the same, reoccurring question. For most of us, this is a normal part of our life. But what goes into that quick, yet vital, decision? The answer for most: what will taste the strongest, the longest. Opening what you think is a full pack, and seeing empty slots can be tragic, so people obviously want what will last them the longest without having to spend that next $1.49. This leads us to the final, over arching question. When going for that pack of gum, will the body conscience decision to purchase sugar free gum instead of regular affect the flavor longevity?

To begin, it is vital to understand the makeup of gum. The basic components of a piece of gum are a gum base, softeners, sweeteners and flavoring. Gum bases are usually made up of something called resin, some wax, and elastomer. These help to soften the gum and maintain flexibility while you chew. Gum softeners are usually made up of glycerin or vegetable oil. And finally, all gum has some sort of sweetener or flavor. As you chew the gum, your saliva breaks down and digests the sweeteners as they spread across your tongue. Everything within the gum will get digested but the gum base, and as the flavor disappears, you are left with strictly gum base and the softener. Now each gum company will keep their exact recipe a secret, but for the most part, each will contain the fairly basic ingredients seen above.

Now, we know that the flavor of the gum comes from the flavors and sweeteners, but how do these differ between sugar-free gum and regular gum? Regular gum is usually composed of sugars such as corn syrup or sugar and honestly, these are more difficult to find today. Sugar-free gum is composed of different, artificial substances that taste very similar to natural sugars but aren’t made up of glucose. Sugar-free gum is usually composed of a variety of sugar alcohols. These may be better for the overall health of your teeth but the natural sugars, found in gum that isn’t sugar-free, may be better for your overall health due to the fact that it is a natural sugar.

But, healthy teeth aside, which of these minty flavors is going to last longer in your mouth? After compiling the above research, I am led to believe that sugar-free gum flavor will last longer. Why? Because the flavors and sweeteners are not natural, but rather, they are thoughtfully composed in a lab with more potential for augmentations such as flavor capsules or time released flavor formulas. It’s still up to you, but if you’re looking for that pack of gum to last just a day (or class) longer, you may want to reach for the sugar-free gum next time.

Here’s a huge bubble popping on some girls face.

Sources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/14511-smart-shopping-for-gum/

http://www.ada.org/en/science-research/ada-seal-of-acceptance/product-category-information/chewing-gum

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-does-gum-lose-its-flavor/

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-chemistry/secret-science-stuff/gum.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/business/yourmoney/07goods.html?_r=0