I love coffee, but I don't like the resulting coffee breath it leaves. If I can't brush my teeth, I usually resort to gum. Unfortunately, chewing gum is not the classiest thing to do in some situations, and mints can leave an aftertaste that's worse than the coffee breath. But I think I found an alternative in the new Sorbay PC Lozenge, part of a line of oral products by Bon Mange.

They say it's a patented palate cleanser that cleans your mouth of 99 percent of all bacteria and germs using increased saliva production and natural ingredients. The lozenges look like big lemon drops and have a light citrus taste.

I have no way of knowing how many germs were left after trying one, but it did take away the coffee taste and leave my mouth with a more pleasant feel. They also didn't shock my mouth like Altoids do.

The bottom line: Whether they remove the germs or not, the Sorbay lozenges are refreshing. They also would be a nice alternative to reception mints, since they come in pretty silver and pink packages. They are sold in bags of 30 for $8.85, with discounted prices for additional bags. They are not yet available retail, but you can buy them at http://www.bonmange.com/sorbaypc.html.

Lifestyle reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com