True Story: Once upon a Time a kid ate a poppy seed bagel before his yearbook photoshoot. The poppy seeds stuck in his teeth were NOT Photoshopped out. What could’ve saved the unfortunate “Poppy-Seed-Boy” from social ruin? Gum.

Impromptu group selfies on Social Media make keeping food OUT of your teeth a beauty priority. Here are our fast fixes for an all-too-common food faux pas.

BAD TIMES TO HAVE BAD BREATH & FOOD IN TEETH

Photo-ops aren’t the only way to be caught with food on your teeth: there is the dreaded etiquette-landmine of a job interview or business presentation taking place over a meal. Or any date or social occasion where any food is involved, even popcorn at the movies. These are all potential events where getting food stuck in teeth or breath that smells of your meal a semi-disaster. Often, you don’t notice the smell of your meal as offensive or distracting, but someone else might. Even if you ordered the same menu items, they only smell the lingering odor on YOU, not themselves. Lunchtime food odors can linger during that afternoon staff meeting or presentation. Even stale coffee breath can be off-putting to bosses and co-workers. We have two go-to, no-fail tricks:

1. CLOTHES: Spray Vanilla Vodka on clothes to eliminate the lingering odor of food on contact. Once dry, vanilla vodka is scentless and doesn’t harm the fabric. (Really!) Keep it in a small spray bottle.
2. MOUTH/BREATH/TEETH: discretely chew cinnamon gum for just a few minutes after a meal.

WHY GUM?

Why don’t I just brush my teeth like a non-heathen? I do, but later. Because often after a meal, you say your goodbyes to your social and business meal companions before you get a chance for so much as a quick check of your lipstick, much less a full tooth-brushing and floss routine. A few minutes of chewing gum freshens your breath and removes the risk of getting food stuck in your teeth.

Why cinnamon? Because studies show it a universally liked scent that seems clean, crisp and attractive on women, not medicinal or off-putting. After reading the ADA recommendation for chewing gum after meals, we like XyloBurst.

DENTAL BENEFITS TO CHEWING XYLOBURST GUM

The American Dental Association states that chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks rinse off and neutralize the enamel-harming acids released by bacteria. According to the ADA, “both the act of chewing and the flavor of the artificial sweeteners in the gum stimulate ten times the normal rate of saliva flow.”

Even if you can immediately brush your teeth, it may not be advisable. Food-based acids are in soda and other carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, and juices, wine, pickles, and honey, all of which can leave teeth enamel too vulnerable to brush for thirty minutes. In that 30 minutes, chewing gum is a gentle way to provide a mild cleansing action via increased saliva in your mouth.

XYLOBURST GUM AFTER MEALS & SNACKS

The ADA indicates you don’t want just any gum, you want sugar-free gum, and preferably gum sweetened with Xylitol, like XyloBurst.

XyloBurst gum has Xylitol, which reduces decay-causing bacteria. It stops the growth of Streptococcus mutans, a bacteria that causes cavities. Xylitol also blocks bacteria’s ability to stick to teeth, stopping the cavity-causing process.

Over time, Xylitol reduces the overall levels of decay-causing bacteria in the mouth. What does this mean? Chewing XyloBurst after a meal or snack and then brushing later is better for teeth than brushing alone.

The recommended amount of XyloBurst for dental health is 6-8 grams per day, so at about 1 gram per piece, one to two pieces of gum after meals and snacks gives your mouth an optimal environment for fighting cavities.

XyloBurst is also:

• Non-GMO and gluten free, with no sugar
• All natural
• dentist/hygienist recommended
• 40% more gum per package than competitors

Dental benefits aside, it tastes pretty good and quickly gives us fresh breath. We like cinnamon, but it also comes in other flavors including Peppermint. It is also ideal for low-carb and sugar controlled diets. Dieting can alter the saliva levels in the mouth and can cause stale breath. In addition to drinking lots of water, XyloBurst can help keep breath fresh while dieting.

CONCLUSION

A quick remedy to beat bad breath, lingering food odors, or food particles stuck on or between teeth, XyloBurst is a superior sugar-free gum choice for after a social “eating” event. Healthy teeth goes a long way towards a beautiful smile. Chewing XyloBurst can be a good preventive measure when toothbrushing and flossing aren’t practical. By chewing a piece or two of XyloBurst gum after each meal, you can easily improve your long-term oral health in between brushing and flossing by vastly reducing the cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth.

Find XyloBurst Gum at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00124WCHC/ref=twister_B00KXEX3VG?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

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Style Chicks received this product in exchange for our unbiased review and received compensation for our time and effort. However, our experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% ours.