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Ozempic, Wegovy, and other GLP-1 weight loss drugs are doing some pretty gross things to people\u2019s mouths\u2014an unofficial side effect to the medication\u2019s more official side effects, like gastrointestinal distress and dehydration. And, this year, the rise of \u201cOzempic breath\u201d has gotten so bad that it\u2019s starting to show up in market data.<\/p>\n
Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner told investors on Thursday that sales of the company\u2019s breath-freshening gum brand Ice Breakers leapt up in early 2026, in an apparent response to halitosis cases induced by GLP-1 use.<\/p>\n
\u201cRetail sales for our third-largest confection brand, Ice Breakers, increased over 8% in the quarter,\u201d Tanner said in a pre-recorded message issued for the chocolate and confection maker\u2019s Q1 earnings call this week, as reported by CNBC. Hershey\u2019s CEO explained that this \u201cstrong demand for gum and mints\u201d was a benefit of \u201cfunctional snacking tailwinds,\u201d including \u201cGLP-1 adoption.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the world\u2019s gum and mint merchants aren\u2019t the only confectioners now charting a new course to capitalize off these \u201cfunctional snacking tailwinds.\u201d Hershey reported that sales of its protein bars (another purpose-driven, \u201cfunctional\u201d snack) jumped up by 17% this quarter as well, as did sales for pricier luxury treats sold in smaller portions.<\/p>\n
People seem to forget to stay hydrated while taking appetite-suppressing drugs like Ozempic, according to Ann Marie Defnet, a specialist in obesity medicine and bariatric surgery at Northwell Health\u2019s North Shore University Hospital in New York.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the big things I always counsel my patients on is they just have to remember to continue to drink water, even if they\u2019re not thirsty, even if they\u2019re not hungry,\u201d Defnet told MedPage Today last summer. \u201cThat seems to help with all of these symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n
But according to Lancaster University anatomy professor Adam Taylor, GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs can also simply reduce the flow of saliva through the mouth, reducing the movement of digestive enzymes and fostering a more welcoming atmosphere for bacteria.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis encourages bacteria that contribute to bad breath and the formation of cavities to thrive,\u201d as Taylor explained it in an essay for The Conversation in 2025. \u201cThese bacterial species include Streptococcus mutans<\/em> and some strains of Lactobacillus<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n One species that is a particularly offensive contributor to bad breath, Porphyromonas gingivalis<\/em>, thrives in dry mouths, where at least one study has shown that it helps generate volatile sulfur compounds responsible for uniquely foul cases of bad breath.<\/p>\n While Taylor does recommend sugar-free gum as a \u201csensible option\u201d to encourage the saliva production needed to help beat back Ozempic breath, the researcher did also echo Defnet\u2019s advice to simply stay more hydrated.<\/p>\n \u201cDrinking water regularly during the day can help to keep the oral surfaces from drying out,\u201d Tayor wrote. \u201cThis helps maintain your natural oral microbiome, which can reduce the risk of an overgrowth of the bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth damage.\u201d<\/p>\n Granted, the reality is that multiple causal factors can lead to bad breath for those taking GLP-1 drugs. The simple act of entering a ketogenic state\u2014a caloric deficit in which the body starts to consistently convert fat into energy\u2014can generate a fruity or acetone-like smell in a person\u2019s breath, almost like nail polish remover. While minty gum can obviously help mask keto breath, it can\u2019t make it go away during ketosis.<\/p>\n But, even here, simply staying hydrated does wonders, according to advice published by CITIDental Boston and countless other oral health providers. \u201cDrinking water consistently throughout the day,\u201d as CITIDental Boston put it, \u201csupports saliva production and helps dilute ketones released in the mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n Listen: Go ahead and chew gum if you want to. Just don\u2019t let unscrupulous gum merchants riding those functional snacking tailwinds pressure you into chewing gum.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nReally, just drink more water<\/h2>\n