Love is in the Air: Make Sure Your Breath Doesn't Leave Others Gasping

NEW YORK, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It's that time of the year - with the start of Spring upon us, many Americans are thinking about getting up close and personal with someone – or hoping to – sometime soon. But as the weather takes a turn for the better, are young Americans fully prepared to embark on a Spring fling this year?  According to a recent survey of 18 to 34-year-olds, maybe not.

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Dentyne gum recently commissioned this nationwide study (conducted by Wakefield Research) that reveals the importance of practicing "safe breath". The Dentyne Safe Breath Survey looks at some of the risks young men and women are taking with their breath, how preparedness factors into a successful social encounter and the rules of attraction when it comes to dating and breath. In addition, the study ranks the top 10 U.S. cities by their propensity to practice good breath habits.

The statistics back up the claim that 18 to 34-year-olds may want to check their breath before they head out on Spring Break or to frolic in the sun:

• 53% of Americans ages 18 to 34 have had an "intimate moment" cut short because they were unprepared. While granny panties or white briefs can be a mood-killer, 76% say bad breath would be a more embarrassing end to an "intimate moment" than unflattering underwear.
• There are some things you can look past and still have a good date, such as sweaty palms (50%) or wrinkled clothes (47%). However, try to avoid the garlic mashed potatoes at dinner: 86% of those polled could not disregard bad breath on a first date.
• Feeling good in your new pair of designer jeans? No matter what you're wearing, 71% feel less confident meeting someone of the opposite sex if their breath isn't fresh.
• 58% have lost interest in someone they were attracted to due to bad breath. And that's no smooching secret; charm alone can only get you so far - 48% of women 18 to 34 would end a relationship with someone with consistently bad breath.
•  The truth hurts, and most aren't ready to tell it to you straight – especially when it comes to breath blunders. 85% of people think it would be harder to tell someone they have bad breath than tell them their zipper's down.
• Skinny jeans definitely have their drawbacks. 78% have sacrificed essentials during a night out to avoid carrying them, and nearly 1 in 4 (23%) have left gum at home because they didn't want to carry it – a rookie mistake.  

The "Safe Breath" Rankings – where does your city rank?

As part of the survey, Dentyne also sought to determine how the top 10 U.S. cities stack up against each other when it comes time to Practice Safe Breath. Wakefield Research ranked the top 10 cities based on responses to questions designed to understand consumer attitudes and behaviors relating to fresh breath. 

Those in Tinseltown must know a thing or two about making a positive impression – the top city for safe breath is Los Angeles followed closely by Atlanta and Dallas. Boston and San Francisco did not fare quite as well – folks in these cities may want to triple check their breath before heading out for the night this Spring!

Dentyne: The Cure for Unsafe Breath

In an effort to help combat the safe breath issues plaguing the nation, Dentyne has introduced the new Split2Fit pack – an innovative, versatile and sleek package that holds 33 percent more gum than before (16 vs. 12 pieces) and can be split into two smaller, sleeker and easier-to-carry packs. Now you can carry all 16 pieces at once, or, if space is limited, you can split the pack into two smaller halves that are easier to slip in to close-fitting places like a shirt pocket or a clutch. The NEW Dentyne Split2Fit pack makes it much easier to carry your socializing essentials when you go out for the night.  Additionally, because the new Split2Fit pack holds more pieces than before, you'll be even more prepared to Practice Safe Breath while on the go!  In addition, Dentyne has launched a new flavor, Dentyne Ice Mint Frost, bringing a unique profile to the Dentyne lineup of intense breath freshening gums.

About Dentyne

The Dentyne brand offers a range of flavors and options to encourage social connections.  Dentyne Ice gum delivers bold breath freshening with intense, yet smooth great tasting flavors like NEW Mint Frost, Arctic Chill, Peppermint, Spearmint, and Dentyne Fire.  Dentyne Pure – first in the gum category with NeutraFresh – a proprietary blend of ingredients that is clinically shown to neutralize bad breath odors. Available in Mint with Herbal Accents and Mint with Melon Accents, Dentyne Pure doesn't just mask bad breath, it purifies breath deliciously.  All Dentyne sugarless gum products can be found in convenience, mass merchandise, drug stores, grocery stores and other retail outlets. To learn more about the Dentyne family of sugarless gums, please visit www.dentyne.com.

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. Proudly marketing delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft Foods had 2011 revenue of $54.4 billion. Twelve of the company's iconic brands – Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Tang and Trident – generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually. On Aug. 4, 2011, Kraft Foods announced plans to divide and create two independent public companies: a high-growth global snacks business and a high-margin North American grocery business. The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of 2012. A leader in innovation, marketing, health & wellness and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. Visit www.kraftfoodscompany.com and www.facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

About the Survey Methodology

The Dentyne Safe Breath Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,025 nationally representative American adults, ages 18 to 34, and among 400 Americans ages 18 to 34 in each of the top ten DMAs, between January 4 and January 17, 2012, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the nationally representative sample of adults 18 to 34, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. For each individual DMA, the changes are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.9 percentage points.

SOURCE Dentyne