Coldness ≠ Freshness

An investigation, followed by a discovery, a rant, then some insight

Picture this: you pop a breath mint after lunch, feel that familiar rush of coolness wash over your tongue, and confidently stride into your afternoon meeting believing your breath is fresh.

But what if I told you that cooling sensation has absolutely nothing to do with actually freshening your breath? Sounds like I’m making BS, right? Well, unfortunately, what you’re feeling isn’t “freshness” at all. At least, not in terms in aroma or smell. It’s your nerve receptors being cleverly deceived by a chemical compound called menthol.

This isn’t about judging anyone’s mint-popping habits (else I’d be a massive hypocrite! I’ve had my extreme share of post-coffee breath emergencies). But rather, it’s about understanding this fascinating misconception between what we feel and what’s actually happening in our mouths. It’s funny though because until recently, I was quite fond of this belief too that the stronger the mint (or menthol) the better the freshness.

I could not be further from the truth.

And driven by my goal to develop a mint that tackles the root cause, I unearthed some eye-opening insights.

My research lead me to TRPM8 receptors (Trip-P M8 is such a fitting name for this), the very proteins that register actual cold. Menthol binds these receptors and lets calcium ions flood sensory nerves, tricking the brain into sensing chill at room temperature.

So that tingly “refreshment” feels satisfying, but it doesn’t do anything to neutralise the volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) that cause bad breath in our mouths. And VSCs LOVE leftovers. Much like me on a Thursday night in. They thrive on leftover food particles, dead cells, and proteins, especially on the tongue’s crevices and between the teeth. They consume all of these, and fart our smelly acids that are the true culprits behind halitosis.

So when you pop a mint, the menthol creates the cooling sensation, while the mint flavour temporarily masks these odours… but these bacterial factories will keep churning out VSCs behind-the-scenes. It’s like spraying air freshener in a room with a persistent fart— you might not smell the problem for a while, but you haven’t actually solved it. That means either you, or your onion-loving buddy has to go.

So what genuinely freshens breath?

From my investigation, here’s what I found (and they’re evidence-based too, suuuuuper important!) :

1. Good oral hygiene practices
   Brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping directly remove bacterial biofilm and food debris. ]

2. Saliva
   Saliva is our mouth’s natural cleaner that washes away particles and bacteria. More saliva means fewer dry conditions for bacteria to thrive. That means proper hydration to encourage saliva flow.

3. Professional care
   Regular dental cleanings and treatment of gum disease or tooth decay remove deeply entrenched bacteria that home care along can’t reach.

What strikes me the most about this topic is how it reflects our broader relationship with quick fixes versus addressing root causes. There’s something deeply human about reaching for a mint when we’re worried about our breath. It’s immediate, it feels like we’re taking action, and that cooling sensation provides pretty convincing feedback that something beneficial is happening.

This isn’t to suggest that mints are the problem— they certainly have their place for temporary social comfort and can be a part of a broader oral care routine. But understanding the distinction between feeling fresh and being fresh seems important for making informed decisions, even if it’s for something like our oral health (which is so much more important than what you give it credit for, think overall health level!).

The cooling sensation from menthol is genuinely pleasant and can provide psychological comfort in social situations where we’re concerned about our breath. There’s real value in that comfort, even if it’s not addressing the underlying bacterial activity. The key insight is simply recognising it for what it is: a temporary sensory experience rather than a treatment for the actual causes of bad breath.

Understanding this disconnect between coolness and genuine cleanliness has reshaped my approach. Rather than designing another mint that simply tricks the sense, I’m experimenting with ingredients that goes beyond surface odours and goes for what causes it.

If you’ve relied on mints for a quick confidence boost, try adding 1 thing at a time like gentle tongue scraping or hydration to your routine. Those little things do add up over time and help your breath remain fresh. And stay tuned: I’m determined on creating a breath mint that does more.