Coffee Cures: Bad Breath

Tic Tacs, Doublemint, and a latte? According to researchers at Tel Aviv University, the cure for bad breath isn't just found in breath mints and gum; coffee can also do the job!

Old sentiments used to suggest that coffee was one of the many culprits that caused bad odors in the mouth. But, Mel Rosenberg, the breath specialist (Imagine what you'd have to endure to earn that title!) at the University, found that coffee can neutralize certain bacteria that lead to bad breath. The researchers incubated saliva with different brands of coffee to study the effects—which turned out to have anti-bacterial properties, similar to those found in plant extracts.

The surprising find has Rosenberg, creator of the mouthwash Dentyl pH, considering java-based alternatives. He's actually interested in formulating coffee-based gum and mouthwash!

While I'm certainly excited to know that my morning cup of Joe won't cause embarrassing bad breath, I'm not sure I'm ready for an espresso mouthwash. Would you give it a swish?