LDS Doctors Gregg DeVore, MD, and Doug Pratt, PhramD, wanted to develop a long-lasting breath mint unique to the Mormon culture to combat temple bad breath, dry mouth, fast-Sunday breath, and missionary bad breath.
After years of research and development, they were able to create a peppermint flavored breath mint the size of a dot that took three hours to dissolve in the mouth. Not only did the mint keep the mouth moist and fresh for its three-hour slow-melt duration, it also killed the germs that cause bad breath and plaque (cavities), mineralized and strengthened tooth enamel, and whitened teeth.
When the doctors decided to advertise these new, breath mints (ForeverMints) in LDS Living, they only expected a few hundred orders. They were hoping to use the ad as a systems "beta" test-- that is to work the bugs out of their computerized order and shipping system before their marketing went national.
They were also concerned that because of the frugal nature of the LDS culture, few would pay $20 for breath mints--even though one $20 bottle of ForeverMints was equal in duration to about $140 of Altoids.
What they experienced and learned shocked them.
Overwhelmed with Orders
Their order system was overwhelmed.
Instead of the expected 200 bottles, sales are nearing 100,000 bottles for the one-year ad campaign!
And yes, Mormons are frugal. But they like a great deal. Eighty percent of the orders were the $60 offer, where you order 3 bottles and get the fourth bottle for free--plus free shipping
The most impressive thing they learned was that people loved the mints. In an industry where marketers can expect up to a 30% product return/refund rate from disappointed customers, ForeverMints has only received 6 returns. That's less than 1 return in 1,700 bottles sold.
And the reason for most of the six returns: the mints lasted too long. Instead of the two plus hours advertised in the ads, the mints lasted up to 4 hours.
Mints Last Longer Than 2 Hours
"We programmed the mints," explains Dr. Pratt, "to last an average of two or more hours. But," continues Pratt, "we've learned that the 'real-life' duration is between three and four hours."
"That's not a problem," continues Dr. DeVore. "Users have told us it's a pleasant surprise and a huge plus. They can drink water with the mint in the mouth and if they want to eat, they can easily take it out."
Hours of Breath Freshening & Mouth-Moistening Protection in a Tiny "Dot"
Most people are amazed at the technology. How is it possible, they ask, to pack hours of all-natural peppermint/menthol breath freshening and mouth moistening protection into a tiny "dot" tablet about 1/5 the size of a Tic-Tac?
"Flavor duration is the holy grail of the breath freshening industry," says Pratt. "Over the past one hundred years, candy makers (gum and mints) have only been able to get a few minutes of duration into their products."
"We greatly surpassed that," claims Pratt. "But it took us over 10 years of research to be able to do that."
ForeverMints Last 60 Times Longer than Altoids & Other Mints
The doctors' claims that their ForeverMints breath mint last 60 times longer than other breath mints may draw the ire of some major breath mint companies. So, to quell the storm and to validate their claim, they turned to Analytical Resource Laboratories (ARA), a nationally respected pharmaceutical/nutraceutical product testing laboratory in Spanish Fork, UT.
In a series of tablet dissolution tests conducted at ARA, ForeverMints' duration was compared to Altoids and all of the other big brand breath mints. It took ForeverMints 60 times longer to dissolve than the other mints, just as the doctors claimed.
ForeverMints and Dry Mouth
Besides the desire for hours of fresh breath, the doctors learned another major reason many buy the mints: to help with dry mouth.
"Dry mouth is a real problem in seniors and/or in those taking certain medications," explains Dr. DeVore. "ForeverMints is the perfect solution for dry mouth sufferers The mint stays in the mouth for hours. This stimulates salivation. The natural mint flavoring also stimulates salivation. And, the natural sweetener in ForeverMints, xylitol, helps stimulate salivation."
"ForeverMints is a ‘perfect storm’ for dry mouth sufferers and our dry mouth customers love it. It even lasts all night while they sleep and many dry mouth customers are now sleeping soundly through the night for the first time in years,” concludes Dr. DeVore.
Positive 'Word-of-Mouth' Drives ForeverMints' Sales
"Our greatest source of satisfaction," says Dr. Pratt, "is that both literal and figurative 'word-of-mouth' are driving sales. People love the mints, are sharing them with family and friends and then those folks order—and the cycle goes on and on."
"We've really had to increase our manufacturing capabilities to meet the unexpected demand," concludes Dr. Pratt.
ForeverMints Fortified with Vitamins & Minerals
The doctors have also created two vitamin fortified versions of ForeverMints: SuppressMints for appetite and snacking control for weight loss and NeuOra-P, vitamin D fortified ForeverMints for symptoms of vitamin D deficiency including back and skeletal muscular pain, loss of bone mass, depression and sleeplessness. The doctors say the fortified mints taste exactly the same as regular ForeverMints and last just as long.
ForeverMints: A Worldwide Solution for Bad Breath and Dry Mouth
The ForeverMints doctors were motivated to solve a problem unique to the LDS culture—Fast Sunday, temple worker, and missionary bad breath and dry mouth. What they created could reach outside the LDS culture into the entire world.
To learn more about ForeverMints, click here, or call 1-855-New-Mint (639-6468).
Note: The doctors have received many testimonials from LDS Living readers. For a sampling of those comments, CLICK HERE.