Our Story
My name is Nathan, and I'd like to share a story about a seemingly small idea that made a big difference not only in my life but in many of my friends, family, and now the customers who use our products lives.
As an entrepreneur and tinkerer with a loving family and an active social life, I was always on the move. What's the next task? When's the next flight? What's next? What's next? Go go go! However.. to be honest, maintaining proper oral hygiene was always a challenge.
In the midst of a packed schedule, it was too easy to skip steps for the sake of getting caught up. I knew it was an issue but how do I create a routine when my environment and schedule are ALWAYS changing? I knew I wasn't alone in this struggle, and as I spoke with my friends and colleagues, who also maintain ungodly work schedules and time constraints - I realized this problem might be bigger than I thought.
What is "Gum Base"?
One night, bored at the airport waiting for yet another update on another delayed flight, I cracked open a fresh pack of big-brand gum. Randomly, I flipped over the package and looked at the ingredients.
Sure, it was some of the usual culprits of stuff I typically avoid - aspartame, sugar, corn syrup, red 40 etc... I thought, man I really gotta stop chewing this stuff. And then I also noticed that one of the main ingredients was called "gum base".
What is "Gum Base"? Was it just one ingredient from one source or was this some sort of lab-made concoction of "FDA Approved" ingredients like "artificial flavors"? I had nothing but time so I grabbed another overpriced watered-down black coffee from a vending machine and got to digging.
Surprisingly, there was very little information online about this topic, finding out the exact ingredients specific companies use ended up being more of a task than I thought it would be - which made me even more curious. At this point, I was hooked - I needed to know the answer. Call me Sherlock.
The 6 Mystery Ingredients That Make Up "Gum Base"
Long story short. I did not find the answer to what makes up "Gum Base", an ingredient found in store bought gum.
In the end, I put on my manufacturing cap and did what I do when trying to reverse-engineer other products. I tracked down and reached out to several gum-based manufacturers and finally learned what the hell was in this stuff.
This is a list of ingredients given to me by a manufacturer that responded. These ingredients make up "Gum Base", that can be found in any average gum you find at markets...
Holy shit. I can see why these chewing gum companies would prefer the term "Gum Base" instead of listing the real ingredients. Some basic research into these ingredients and how they're made - made me disgusted. I remember thinking, why would anyone want to willing put these products in their mouth? I certainly didn't. And what the hell is polyvinyl acetate anyway?
Okay - so most gum is made of garbage, got it. The question is now; what do I do about it? Was I to stop my serial gum-chewing habit? Chewing gum made it easier for me to focus and I need that to perform at the highest level, so of course the answer was NO. I just needed to find a better alternative.
Something Needed To Change
It didn't take long before a thought struck me: "What if there was a chewing gum that could do more than just freshen breath? What if it was a functional gum with a real purpose? What if it could actually clean my teeth? And what if, just maybe.. it was made out of ingredients that weren't toxic to my body and the environment?"
Doesn't seem like too much to ask, right? This idea literally kept me up at night and I soon found myself diving deeply into the world of chewing gum, oral health, teeth, their parts, how they are damaged, and how they can be repaired.
Driven by these ideas and the desire to create a product that not only I could use but could also be proud of. I decided to develop a gum that would not only serve as a convenient solution for people like me but would also be all-natural and made without the use of synthetic chemicals, rubbers, and plastics made of polymers that degrade into microplastics.
Thus, Underbrush Gum was born.
Creating The Perfect Formula
The process of creating the perfect formula was painstaking and involved experimenting with various natural ingredients. For nearly two years, I worked tirelessly like a prisoner at night digging a tunnel away from my captors one spoonful at a time.
I started consulting with dental experts and food scientists, reformulating, reformulating again, and testing each iteration to find the ideal balance of texture, chew, rigidity, flavor, stickiness, and effectiveness. This was a true labor of love and like building good habits, it required patience and small incremental improvements over time.
The Results
Underbrush Gum, my final creation, was a harmonious blend of natural ingredients that offers numerous oral benefits.
Hydroxyapatite, an essential mineral found in teeth and bones, helps to remineralize and strengthen the tooth enamel. Minerals found in eggshells and earthen clays also aid in replenishing essential nutrients while acting as a mild abrasive for polishing teeth.
The refreshing flavor of mint oil and powerful terpenes worked together to kill microbes and freshen breath, while myrrh gum helps soothe irritated gums.
For a sweetener, I discovered erythritol and xylitol, a natural sugar substitute from birchwood, contribute to cavity prevention by disrupting the life cycle and replication of bacteria backed up by some very interesting studies.
I could go on for hours about these ingredients but what about the gum base? It took me a while to track down the farms and foragers to supply this to me and I am so excited about our triple threat part of the formula.
We use a blend of Mastic gum, a natural resin, that contributes antibacterial properties and reduced plaque buildup harvested in Chios Greece, Spruce gum long chewed by Native Americans for its healing and anti-bacterial properties wild foraged here in North America and Germany, and chicle gum wild foraged in South America which not only has a very pleasant chew but acts as a rapid delivery system for all of our other beneficial ingredients. This is what all gum base should be made out of.
Natural Ingredients That Remineralize & Strengthen Your Teeth
With its organic ingredients and remarkable oral benefits, our gum soon found a place in the daily routines of the closest people to me who are also trying to push forward and crush life one incremental step at a time. Like me, they appreciated its simplicity, elegance, and effectiveness.
Just The Beginning
As I reflect on the journey that led to the creation of Underbrush Gum, I am grateful for that moment of inspiration in an empty airport and for my mild obsessiveness (I swear it's mild!). Looking back on it, I might not be here now if it wasn't for those multiple delays and that shitty vending machine coffee.
I am proud to make a positive impact on the lives of the people around me and to share my product and story. Most of all I'm proud to be doing something, however small, with purpose.
As the popularity of our family's Underbrush Gum continues to grow, I'm excited to see how many more smiles we can brighten, one chew at a time. This is only the beginning!
Chew with Purpose
- Nate
Merch
