Toothpastes with zinc can clear up morning breath in seconds

Don't let morning breath get the best of you! According to recently published research, specialty breath freshening toothpastes containing zinc may eliminate odor molecules quickly and efficiently.

Nearly everyone has suffered from morning breath at one time or another, and its cause is not much of a secret. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleeping naturally leads to dry mouth, which in turn may leave your mouth smelling funky in the morning. Even if you rarely sleep with your mouth open, you may still be at risk for morning breath, since the body automatically reduces saliva flow during sleep.

The reason why dry mouth leads to bad breath is fairly simple. Saliva cleanses your palate and slows the growth of oral bacteria. Without it, microbes can run wild, producing a thick scum on your tongue that gives off a distinct scent - hence the special term "morning breath."

Some people consider trying radical ways to keep their mouths closed at night. But sleeping on your stomach does not guarantee that your maw will stay shut, and tying up your lower jaw is just a bad idea. So what can be done to nip morning breath in the bud?

According to a study appearing in the Journal of Breath Research, toothpastes that contain zinc may neutralize the volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that give morning breath its unmistakable reek.

For the investigation, a pair of Swedish clinicians from the University of Oslo tested the effects of such a toothpaste on 12 volunteers, all of whom intentionally cultivated morning breath for the study. The duo discovered that toothpastes containing zinc efficiently eliminated hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, two common VSCs that add the smell of rotten eggs and cabbage (respectively) to bad breath.

If you get morning breath and want to do something about it, consider looking into TheraBreath zinc-laden toothpastes and mouthwashes.