History of Breath Odors

Abstract

Breath odors are an age-old, worldwide problem, and over the centuries different cultures have developed different folk remedies. In Thailand, sufferers chew the peels of oversize guavas. Iraqis keep cloves between their teeth. Italians chew parsley. Indians chew fennel seeds. Brazilians cite cinnamon as a folk remedy. Indeed, many plant extracts contain antibacterial molecules. These molecules are often oily and aromatic, and can be extracted as part of the “essential oil” fraction. Essential oils are used in mouthrinses, toothpastes, and chewing gums, sometimes for their antibacterial effect, and sometimes for their aroma. Essential oil compounds that inhibit oral microorganisms include eugenol from clove, thymol from thyme, and eucalyptol from eucalyptus. Chinese imbibe crushed eggshells in rice wine, but will also eat a grapefruit for alcohol breath, and for garlic odor, persimmon or red dates. In Singapore, traditional Chinese pharmacy offers a concoction of bark, leaves, and other dried items for relief from too much “heatiness” (yang), which they believe is a major cause of bad breath. Finally, almost all of us believe in the mouth-freshening potential of mint (although actually, most types of mint are not very effective).