The health benefits of TomTom sweet are derived from the active ingredient in the candy. It goes without saying that the coolness and calming effect the candy has is as a result of the same ingredient.
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TomTom sweet is a common candy that can be found in every corner store in Nigeria. It is so common that a zebra crossing is commonly mistaken for a TomTom advertisement. One can attribute its popularity to so many things but chief of them is its effectiveness in cooling the breath in the mouth when used.
When there is cold and the nose feels congested, it is the go-to candy for relief.
In this article, we will talk about the popular sweet TomTom, its effect on the different parts of the body, how it works, the health benefits of TomTom sweet, and possible side effects of using the same sweet.
TomTom Sweet: An Overview
TomTom sweet is an oval-shaped candy that is flavoured with menthol. It is a common candy enjoyed by people of all ages in Nigeria and its characteristic white and black stripe colour is recognizable anywhere.
It is commonly used locally to relieve nasal congestion and cough, when used in combination with bitter kola. TomTom sweet is also suitable to eliminate bad breath, giving the mouth a feeling of freshness after just one candy.
The feeling of coolness it provides extends from the tongue to the chest region, helping to relieve congestion in the chest as well.
Although it used to be strictly menthol flavoured, it now has more varieties, such as honey and lemon.
TomTom is so effective due to the presence of ingredients such as menthol, sugar, flavouring, and glucose syrup. The presence of glucose syrup and sugar may be a reason to worry as it provides the body with sugar that may not be needed. However, the presence of menthol offers so many benefits, that it counters the possible detrimental effects of the sugars.
How Does TomTom Sweet Work?
TomTom sweet helps its users eliminate bad breath by leaving the mouth fresh and cool due to the action of menthol. The same menthol is responsible for relieving pain in the throat as a result of bacterial presence by exerting its analgesic and antibacterial properties on the affected site.
It is also effective in relieving the nasal cavities and the chest of congestion, and works effectively against as an analgesic, reducing pain in the mouth or throat. It achieves this by blocking calcium and sodium channels that may activate some muscular activities leading to pain. This blockage happens when the opioid receptors that receives endorphins are activated.
Health Benefits of TomTom Sweet
TomTom sweet is consumed daily for different reasons by different people. However, the health benefits of TomTom sweet are usually gained by its consumers without intending to have them. Sometimes, an individual with a hoarse sound takes a TomTom sweet and in addition to relieving the hoarseness in the throat, they get added benefits as we’ll soon see.
The benefits attached to consuming TomTom sweet include:
Fresh breath
The most obvious effect TomTom sweet has after consumption is the freshness of breath it gives its consumer. The menthol in the candy has the same effect as the active ingredients in mouthwashes and toothpastes. In fact, it is commonly used in natural mouthwashes and it is commonly sourced from peppermint, and other mint leaves.
This benefit helps it to promote good oral hygiene by eliminating bad breath.
Pain management
TomTom sweet contains menthol, which is known to have analgesic properties. It selectively blocks some receptors from receiving messages of pain from the muscles, thereby helping individuals deal with pain.
Sore throat treatment
Sore throat is one of the popular reasons people use TomTom sweet. It is believed that it helps to calm the soreness in the throat due to the fresh breath it gives. However, it majorly helps in treating minor sore throat because it has antibacterial properties.
In other cases of sore throat, where the throat infection is caused by pathogens other than bacteria, TomTom sweet will effectively calm the effect of the sore throat for the short term. This is why it is effective in suppressing cough.
Chest and Sinuses decongestant
It promotes better health and comfort by helping to decongest the chest and sinuses. It is effective in making air passage easier through the lungs, especially during the dusty or cold periods.
TomTom aids in clearing the airways by reducing the pressure in the sinuses and the chest.
Works as an antipruritic
An antipruritic is a substance that when applied to a surface reduces the itching that was previously experienced. In the same way menthol helps to calm pain, it also aids in reducing irritation that leads to itching.
Possible Side Effects of TomTom Sweet
Despite the numerous health benefits that TomTom sweet gives, there are some concerns that some of the ingredients may not be so good.
Raises blood sugar
High blood sugar is detrimental to the health of diabetic patients. However, in the process of using TomTom to alleviate mild sore throat or decongest the sinuses, a patient might pop numerous bars of TomTom, exponentially increasing the amount of glucose in the blood as a result of sugar and glucose syrup in the candy.
Might be detrimental to the teeth
One of the ingredients of TomTom sweet is Sugar, a substance that causes dental problems, such as tooth decay, because it encourages plaque formation. Although TomTom improves oral health by eliminating bad breath, it also causes concern for dental health because it contains high amount of sugar.
Conclusion
TomTom sweet is a common candy inn Nigeria and it is endearing to many people. The health benefits of TomTom sweet, which include improved oral hygiene by eliminating bad breath, effectiveness as an analgesic, and helpful in treating mild sore throats, to mention a few, are all gotten even without paying attention to them.
TomTom sweet gives these benefits as a result of menthol, which is one of its ingredients. However, other ingredients, such as sugar and glucose syrup causes worry of side effects of its continuous consumption.