Gum
D Z
The Sapodilla or Chicle tree from Central America, and later introduced to SouthEast Asia, oozes precious latex to protect itself whenever the bark is injured. This latex was collected by Aztecs and Mayans for thousands of years to make chewing gum for freshening the breath and quenching thirst.
In the early twentieth century, mass commercial exploitation of the trees took off into a multi-billion dollar global industry resulting in severe damage of the forests over the period of 40 years. Continued demand for the useful material lead to the development of synthetic vinyl substitutes based on petroleum, the main ingredients of almost all chewing gum ever since.†
After the Industrial Revolution, soft sugary foods decayed our teeth and caused our wisdom teeth to impact 10 times more often.‡ Our mouths are a sacred gateway for matter to transcend back into energy. When the Buddah died in 543 BCE, the only thing recovered from the funeral pyre was the left canine tooth. It is a powerful relic today enshrined within a palace. Teeth outlast our bodies, and they hold the secrets of our lives.
We trust perfect teeth.
What do you leave behind?