Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner told investors Thursday that sales of the company’s breath-freshening gum brand Ice Breakers surged in early 2026, in an apparent response to cases of halitosis induced by the use of GLP-1.
“Retail sales of our third-largest confection brand, Ice Breakers, grew more than 8% in the quarter,” Tanner said in a pre-recorded message released this week for the chocolate and confection maker’s first-quarter earnings call, CNBC reported. Hershey’s CEO explained that it was the benefit of “functional snacking tailwinds” including “strong demand for gum and mints” and “GLP-1 adoption.”
But the gum and mint merchants of the world aren’t the only confectioners now charting a new way to capitalize on these “functional snacking tailwinds.” Hershey reported that sales of its protein bars (another purpose-driven, “functional” snack) increased 17% in the quarter, as did sales of expensive luxury items sold in smaller portions.
The science behind ‘Ozempic breath’
According to Ann Marie Defnet, MD, an expert in obesity medicine and bariatric surgery at North Shore University Hospital of Northwell Health in New York, people forget to stay hydrated when taking appetite suppressants like Ozempic.
“One of the big things I always advise my patients is to remember to continue to drink water, even if they’re thirsty, even if they’re not hungry,” Defnett told MedPage Today last summer. “It seems to help with all these symptoms.”
But according to Adam Taylor, an anatomy professor at Lancaster University, GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs can also reduce the flow of saliva through the mouth, slowing the movement of digestive enzymes and promoting a more hospitable environment for bacteria.
As Taylor explained in an essay for The Conversation in 2025, “It promotes bacteria that contribute to bad breath and the formation of cavities.” streptococcus mutans and some strains lactobacillus”
One species that is a particularly aggressive contributor to bad breath, Porphyromonas gingivalis, thrives in dry mouth, where at least one study has shown that it helps produce the volatile sulfur compounds responsible for specific cases of bad breath.
Seriously, just drink more water
While Taylor Ozempic recommends sugar-free gum as a “sensible choice” to stimulate the saliva production needed to help restore breathing, the researcher also reiterated Defnet’s advice to stay more hydrated.
“Drinking water regularly during the day can help keep oral surfaces from drying out,” Tayor wrote. “This helps maintain your natural oral microbiome, which can reduce the risk of bacterial overgrowth that causes bad breath and tooth decay.”
Granted, the reality is that many contributing factors can cause bad breath in people taking GLP-1 medications. The simple act of entering a ketogenic state – a calorie deficit in which the body continuously begins converting fat into energy – can produce a fruity or acetone-like odor in a person’s breath, almost like nail polish remover. While minty gum can obviously help hide keto breath, it can’t make it go away during ketosis.
But, even here, according to advice published by CITIDental Boston and countless other oral health providers, simply staying hydrated does wonders. As Citadental Boston states, “Drinking water consistently throughout the day helps with saliva production and helps dilute ketones in the mouth.”
Listen: Go ahead and chew gum if you want. Just don’t let unscrupulous gum merchants riding on those functional snacking tailwinds pressure you into chewing gum.
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