When I was growing up in the 1960s, chewing gum was a big deal.
TV ads showcased the doublemint twins and their stick gum, and the small squares of chiclets. Kids preferred tiny bricks of pink Bazooka with the folded-up shiny papers bearing dumb comics. Girls collected rectangular
Juicy Fruit wrappers, folding them thrice in two dimensions and linking them into loooong chains that we'd save for our future first boyfriends.
We had tea-flavored teaberry gum, and a yummy licorice one with a name that is probably no longer politically correct.
Trident gum offered a sugar-free option, while Dentyne gave the illusion of health. New York City pharmacist Franklin V. Canning invented the gum in 1899, formulated to "sweeten the breath, to keep teeth white," according to the wrapper. Dentyne cleverly combines "dental" and "hygiene."
And an ancient song was entitled, "Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?"
To continue reading, go to DNA Science, where this post first appeared.