Is there a breath mint that actually works?

Maggie Nemser, Shine staff

My dentist just told that I can never chew gum again. Apparently I have TMJ so there will be no more apples, hard foods or chewing gum for me. I'm ok without apples and can do my best to avoid hard foods but the no gum thing is not going to be easy to kick.

I know that smacking your lips and chomping on chewing gum is neither attractive nor classy but there's something about a stick of Trident every once in a while that really hits the spot.

To lesson the blow, I did a little CVS field trip to hunt for an enjoyable and effective gum replacement. First I tried the 3-Hour Breathsavers mint which gave me fresh breath for approximately twenty seconds and then it actually gave me bad breath. Next, I reached for some white Tic Tacs which had the same effects as the 3-Hour Breathsavers. I ended my mint survey with Ice Breakers and while they were the best of the three, there has to be a better mint out there.

Any suggestions? What's your favorite breath mint that lasts longer than a few minutes?

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