Government dentists in Belize and other dental workers have welcomed Wrigley’s Orbit sugar free gum as a healthy chewing gum alternative. This initiative came after a presentation made by Orbit and its Belize affiliate Santiago Castillo Group of Company during the Annual Dentist workshop hosted in San Pedro Town. The endorsement came from Doctor Rafael Samos, Senior Dental Surgeon in the Dental Department of the Ministry of Health.
Orbit’s mother company Wrigley, with its headquarters in the USA, has been in the chewing gum market since 1982 and over the years have evolved to producing more sugar free chewing gums. Thus Orbit’s re-surfacing in the market in 2001 and is now replacing a Belizean favorite: PK. In fact, Belize, Aruba and Africa were three of the best markets for Wrigley’s PK. However, it is now being replaced in Belize by Orbit, a more healthy sugar free gum.
“Chewing helps to stimulate the flow of saliva while increasing its pH, thus reducing the amount of cavities that can be formed. At the same time, chewing sugar free gum like Orbit helps to prevent cavities because the bacteria no longer has means of getting energy. In the past the bacteria would use the sugar from chewing gums and convert it into acid, but with Orbit, there is no sugar and so the bacteria does not have the energy source to produce acid and create a cavity in the tooth itself” said Samos. He added that Orbit “stimulates the flow of saliva thus increasing rematerialization of the teeth itself and helps reduce tooth decay [as opposed to chewing regular sugar gum]. We can see the way Orbit can really be good, especially when you are on the go.” Samos said that after any meal, there is a process of demineralization of the teeth, which can lead to tooth decay. “Once the body produces adequate saliva it re-mineralizes the teeth and Orbit can stimulate the production of saliva without the sugar content and still having that pleasant, good taste,” said Samos.
For Aisha Trapp Rudon, Marketing Manager at Santiago Castillo Limited the endorsement from the Belize government dental workers is a big step. “Orbit has been embraced by several dental associations across the globe so why not introduce the product to the dentists in Belize and present to them the benefits of this product. Orbit chewing gum comes in handy especially when you are eating and drinking and are on the go; you can chew Orbit chewing gum until you can get to a place to brush your teeth. In this year’s workshop organized by the government dental workers, the Orbit in Belize teamed up with them and was a part of the event. If you get the ambassadors of dental health in Belize to endorse and embrace the product you will have the public on your side as well. They will not embrace a product that is not good. Orbit is a good product and this is the reason they have endorsed the Wrigley product,” said Rudon. According to Rudon PK, which is a sugar gum produced by Wrigley and has been in Belize for several generation, is no longer on the Belize market. She said that Wrigley, based in Chicago USA, has been replacing their sugary gums with sugar free chewing gum.
Orbit has been endorsed by over 50 dental organizations in the world. In the USA, it has been accepted by the American Dental Health Organization having met their health standards. Interesting to note is that based on an 8-week clinical test in the US, two pieces of sugar free Orbit gum in between eating and drinking helps in removing stains and whitens teeth.