Entry #3: Curiously Strong...

         If you’re a person, and I would like to assume you are if you’re reading my blog, you probably aren’t a stranger to bad breath. It’s natural. It happens to everyone. Strong-smelling foods and beverages leave their mark in the mouth, ensuring their presence is known even after being consumed. You may accidentally forget to brush your teeth before bed, causing you to wake up with a less-than-pleasant odor coming from your mouth (it happens, people). We all have methods for tackling this embarrassing occurrence. Mine happens to come in a little tin container.

          Yes, you read that right. A small, rectangular tin container with a hinge lid. Decorated in a simple design, the bottom is silvery with a black nutrition facts label, and the top is royal blue on the outer edges and sides. The brand logo stands, slightly raised to create some texture, in the white center that's surrounded by a golden embellished frame, which is ALSO raised. Due to the metallic nature of tin, the container makes a distinctive clinking sound when shaken due to the contents jingling around inside. It’s decently cool to the touch, but can be warmed by body heat due to the conductive nature of the material if sitting in your pocket. Fun fact, these little containers are very commonly used in DIY (Do it Yourself) projects. Most notably, they’re used for a variety of kits. There are traveling kits, first-aid kits, and sewing kits, just to name a few. People also use them in creative projects like wallets/card holders and miniature art or dioramas. If you're interested, you can view this Pinterest board by Patricia Rode for some fun ideas.

          When the lift-top is opened, you will see a paper leaflet surrounding the contents. In this paper, you will find the ingredients list, the nutritional information, as well as this particular brand's humorous jab: “Uncle!” This little joke originated from the informal phrase “cry uncle,” which means to give up or surrender, usually because of the intense flavor of this product. Underneath this leaflet, you will find the real product. They’re small and circular, only about the size of a fingertip. It’s white in color, appearing almost pill-like, but with a chalky texture. The smell is unique. It's sharp and stimulating to the senses. The contents smell distinct, sweet, and pungent. When picked up, it leaves a fine dust on your skin, and as soon as it touches your tongue, the sensation is instant. You get a powerful punch of flavor. Invigorating and fresh, this Wintergreen flavor is less sharp than its more popular flavor counterpart, with slightly sweet and warmer notes.

          Inside your mouth, the smooth outer layer of the tablet melts away to reveal a slightly grainier texture inside. It takes a while to dissolve, slowly disintegrating on your tongue. If you don’t want to wait, you can achieve a sudden burst of flavor by biting down on the hard pellet. It will fracture into pieces that get smaller and easier to break as you continue to chew. Eventually, your teeth will grind the caplet into a powder that quickly disappears on the tongue, leaving your mouth feeling clean. You might even have a cold or tingly feeling afterwards. You may also notice that, when you breathe through your mouth, the inhale feels cooler than normal. This is caused by a compound called menthol, which is commonly found in related goods. Although menthol is dangerous in large amounts, only small amounts are used to flavor the merchandise. You can read more about menthol consumption and uses here.

          Funnily enough, this isn’t my go-to way to freshen up on the go. I personally prefer a more chewable version of this type of product, but both of them work for the intended purpose of cleaning up questionable mouth odors. I just find the more elastic and chewy texture to be more friendly to my teeth than a hard lozenge. Despite my preference, there are fond memories associated with the cool flavors these products are famous for. The one I described in this blog is especially special because it reminds me of my Dad. He always has something on his person to freshen up your breath. I remember a time I attended the Arizona State Fair. This was probably six years ago now, and I ate a dish that contained both onions and tomatoes; I believe it was a veggie kebab. Thanks to the acidity and the sulfur components in these ingredients… let’s just say, I needed a bit of freshening up. My Dad was the first one to whip out that familiar blue and silver container. 

          Overall, having some of this merchandise with you is very helpful. If you’re going somewhere where you know you’ll eat, or if you’re running late and need to leave the house quickly, these are lifesavers. No one wants to attend an important event, only to have a good mood dampened by less-than-stellar breath. Oral hygiene is really big in North America; bad breath acts as an indicator that you may have poor oral hygiene. Even if this isn’t the case, you never know what people may assume about the origin of the smell. This can lead to feelings of embarrassment and anxiety, which, in turn, can also lead to self-consciousness and low self-esteem. By using these, you can take control of your confidence and interact with people, knowing your breath is fresh and smelling good. "When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace." Let me hear YOUR guesses as to what I may or may not be describing within this blog post. If you know, you know, and you should let ME know what your favorite kind of these are! I’m always open to trying new flavors. Thank you for reading this entry. Check back for more Phoenix Times with Jordyn H.

"Confidence is the best outfit, but you can't wear it without fresh breath."