Trident (gum)

Background

When artificial sweeteners became widespread in the early 1960s, the formula was changed to use saccharin instead of sugar, and Sugar-Free Trident was introduced in 1964 with the slogan "The Great Taste that Is Good for Your Teeth." American Chicle's marketing was one of the first national campaigns to promote dental health through chewing gum.

For years, Trident was promoted with the slogan, “Four out of five dentists surveyed recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum.” This slogan is believed to have been based on the results of a survey of practicing dentists with either D.D.S. or D.M.D. degrees, apparently conducted in the early 1960s, whose patients included frequent users of chewing gums; the percentage of respondents to the survey whose responses indicated they would make such references to their patients is believed to have been approximately 80%, rounded off to the nearest full percentage point, of the total number of respondents. It became strongly associated with the Trident brand. As of the middle of June 2014, however, Kraft Foods's Cadbury Adams group, whose parent company, Mondelēz International, had become owners of the Trident copyright and patents, was not known to have made any public disclosures of any details about the survey, presumably citing the proprietary nature of the survey data and conclusions as its rationale.

In the early 2000s, "See what Unfolds" became the new slogan for the brand.

Trident gum contains the sugar alcohol xylitol, which is known as a "tooth-friendly" sugar. Use of the chemical has been subject to controversy, as it is highly toxic to dogs.

Original Trident flavors

Original Trident, a soft gum packaged in a unique rectangular shape, is sweetened with xylitol (originally advertised as "Dentec" by the company), a sugar alcohol that reduces plaque and protects teeth against decay associated with dental caries by helping to maintain a neutral pH balance in the mouth. It is also sweetened with sorbitol, Mannitol, Aspartame, Sucralose and Acesulfame potassium.

Former President Jimmy Carter on November 14, 1980 declared Trident Original as the official gum of the White House for its unique blend of spearmint, peppermint, cassis and cinnamon.

Trident White

Trident White (formerly Trident Advantage until 2001), a pellet gum, does not contain xylitol. It does, however, contain a non-abrasive, peroxide-free whitener (patented by Cadbury Adams) that breaks up extrinsic stains on teeth. It also contains aspartame. Trident White no longer contains Recaldent (casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate), a milk-derived ingredient that aids in the remineralization of teeth.

Trident Splash

Trident Splash is also a pellet gum, except each piece is filled with a gel-like liquid that is flavored differently from its outer shell. Trident splash contains the ingredient gelatine and thus is not suitable for vegans or people who eat only kosher meat or foods, except for the products produced for the Israeli market which are made with kosher beef gelatin under rabbinical supervision and approval of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Introduced in 2005. It also is not halal because the gelatin is derived from a pork base.

Trident Layers

Trident Layers is a soft gum with a flavored layer between two normal sized pieces of different flavors of Trident gum. It is sugar free and is sweetened with artificial sugars. It arrived in Canada by 2010, then in the United States in 2011 to compete against Excel Mist (Orbit Mist in the United States).

This gum contains soy lecithin, aspartame, phenylalanine, and other sweeteners. It also contains Gelatin and hence is not suitable for vegans or those who consume kosher or halal food. The Tangy Citrus flavor is mostly composed of grapefruit

Trident Xtra Care

Trident Xtra Care is a soft gum that is very much like the original Trident, except for that it contains Recaldent. Recaldent is a type of calcium that is claimed to be absorbed into the tooth, strengthening teeth against plaque acids. It is said to protect the teeth from future damage and make them stronger.

Trident Vitality

According to its manufacturing company, Trident Vitality aims to "add a little piece of delicious well-being to the gum-chewing experience, with Vitamin C, ginseng or white tea infused into each delicious piece." The gum comes in packs of 9, which, compared to other types of gum, is small. For example, Orbit (gum) has 14 pieces per pack, and 5 (gum) has 15 pieces per pack.

This product line is now discontinued according to the company (2013).

United Kingdom

Trident gum was introduced to the British market in 2007. Seven flavours of Trident currently exist in the UK, after a period of new flavours and discontinuations.

Trident Soft

Trident Soft are long, thin strips of gum. They are sold in packs of 14 pieces and in four different flavors:

Trident Fresh

Trident Sweet Kicks

Sweet Kicks are only available in one flavor so far and were released on the 14th of July 2007. They do not have a liquid center (They have since been discontinued).

Trident Splash

'Trident Splash' is a pellet gum with a liquid center. It is currently sold in single blister packs containing 9 pieces: