New Delhi, Sept. 28: The chewing gum has come a long way ? from a product which could harm your teeth to one that can protect it. What?s more, it is being seen as a mode of drug delivery as well.

Since the prevention of food adulteration rules in India did away with a regulation against marketing of ?sugar free? products in the confectionery category about eight weeks ago, a few gums have hit the market with claims to be friends of teeth

Perfetti of Italy, one of the international confectionery majors in India, today rolled out its Happydent sugar-free chewing gum, claiming it prevents tooth decay. The company has packaged six gums in a blister pack (at Rs 5), giving it the look and feel of a medicine. It also has a mono pack variant priced at Re 1.

Wrigley of the US, whom Perfetti counts as its only competitor in India, recently launched Orbit, a sugar-free gum available in a flow pack of four for Rs 5. Wrigley is seeking a patent in the US market to come up with a Viagra gum.

?Chewing gums is increasingly being seen as a mode of drug delivery as well. In many European countries, dentists prescribe sugar-free chewing gums to improve the health of teeth,? said Sameer Suneja, head of marketing, Perfetti.

Ashok Dhoble, secretary general of the Indian Dental Association (IDA), vouched for the benefits of Xylitol ? the sugar substitute used in Happydent ? on teeth.

In western markets, antacid chewing gums are also gaining popularity, added Suneja.

Dalmia Consumer Care is present in the market with its Chabaaza chewing gums. These are pan-flavoured gumlets positioned as a substitute for chewing or puffing tobacco.

Perfetti?s Happydent is being tom-tommed as a good substitute for toothpaste after every meal, as it is not possible to brush one?s teeth always after eating.

Steffan Pelle, managing director of Perfetti India, made it clear brushing after a meal is still the best thing to do, but chewing a gum like Happydent is a very good substitute.