The Best Breath Mints for a Last-Minute Refresh
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Bad breath is a problem that takes mere seconds to fix. Breath mints can help in a pinch, and diligent dental care can keep rank mouth particles at bay on an important date or job interview. No one wants to be the guy with the putrid gums, but the real science behind fresh breath goes way beyond the surface.
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Regardless of what was on the lunch menu, the cause of bad breath is the same.
“Volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs, that’s what really causes the malodor,” said Dr. Dianne Sefo, a clinical associate professor and the chair for the Department of Dental Hygiene at NYU Dentistry. This is the underlying cause for the vast majority of people, although a larger problem like a respiratory or gum disease can also cause it.
VSCs are the result of bacteria metabolizing leftover food that lingers after humans eat, according to Dr. Sefo. “When you don’t have really good oral hygiene, you’re creating an environment for more bacteria to grow. The more that’s there, the more bacteria that are releasing the VSCs and creating that odor.”
The same bacteria that causes bad breath also causes other problems, according to Dr. Tien Jiang, a prosthodontist and professor in the Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
“The bacteria that causes cavities, bad breath, or periodontal disease just sits in the plaque and that plaque, as it’s digesting the food in your mouth, can release acids and that acid is what can cause cavities,” said Jiang.
Dr. Sefo said bad breath and dental health go hand in hand, and while breath mints and mouthwash can certainly help in a pinch, the real work is done with diligent, daily mechanical removal of plaque with a toothbrush and floss.
Dry mouth and a lack of saliva flushing out the bacteria are other huge contributors to bad breath, Dr. Jiang said.
“Dry mouth contributes to bad breath because nothing is moving that bacteria around. It creates an imbalance in your mouth,” said Jiang. Mouths tend to be dryer after hanging open all night during sleep, hence morning breath, and after your father-in-law quizzes you on your career prospects. Better pack extra Tic Tacs for those annual visits.
Certain medical conditions or medications can also cause dry mouth, according to Jiang.
“What I see most commonly is patients who are taking high blood pressure medication or any medications for depression or anxiety, or a combination of a few of them. That can change the oral environment,” said Jiang.
While breath mints don’t contain ingredients that neutralize or address odor-causing bacteria, one of their primary benefits for dental health is saliva production.
“One of the first things that’s happening when you put a breath mint in, flavor aside, is it’s stimulating saliva,” said Jiang. “So it’s eliminating that dry environment and kicking in our body’s response to create this saliva that’s so healthy for us.”
Data on breath mints is limited, but a Europe-based study from the 90s published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry found that they increased salivary flow in individuals suffering from xerostomia, or the clinical name for dry mouth.
After asking both experts about certain ingredients in breath mints that are particularly healthy for teeth, or better for controlling bad breath, both experts instead pointed to an ingredient to avoid.
“One thing is you have to make sure they’re sugar-free. If they have sugar, you’re giving more food to the bacteria,” said Sefo.
Instead of sugar, many breath mint brands will use xylitol, a sugar alternative that’s naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables. It’s a sweetener that doesn’t damage teeth or feed odor-causing bacteria.
“Sugar is going to do more harm than good,” said Jiang. Unlike mouthwashes, which sometimes contain ingredients that actually address bacteria, breath mints are cosmetic and contain essential oils that linger on the tongue after the mint has dissolved.
The Best Breath Mints for Fresh Breath
ICE BREAKERS Coolmint With Cooling Crystals, Sugar-Free Sugar Free Breath Mints
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Ice Breakers sugar-free mint gum is made with sorbitol, a xylitol alternative that’s less expensive, and comes in packs that are great for individual use and group sharing.
Mentos Clean Breath Sugarfree Hard Mints
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These Mentos sugar-free clean breath mints are also made with sorbitol and formulated to create fresh breath for up to 30 minutes.
Breath Savers
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Breathsavers’ mints are individually-wrapped so you don’t have to carry around an entire container or sleeve for easy freshness.
Altoids Smalls Wintergreen Sugarfree Mints
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Altoids are a famous breath mint for a reason, these tiny but mighty mints take up less space in a briefcase or purse but mask bad breath just as well as larger gum or chewables. They’re also sugar-free and sweetened with sorbitol.
Spry Xylitol Peppermint Sugar-Free Candy
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Spry uses xylitol, rather than sorbitol, to sweeten their sugar-free mints. They’re formulated to help freshen breath without decaying teeth like other sugar-filled varieties.
Extra Spearmint Sugarfree Gum
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Sefo also said that sugar-free chewing gum can be more helpful than a mint for some folks, especially for saliva production.
“I like the sugar-free chewing gum, I tend to do that every now and then, and it tends to help. I try to be really good with drinking a lot of water but if I’m not and I feel like I have a dry mouth, those gums help with the salivary flow,” said Sefo.
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