Breath Mint Ingredients
Bad breath, a common problem, is a consequence of indigestion or eating foods with strong smell. Most people use breath mints such as Altoids, Tic Tacs or Certs to counteract this problem. It makes sense to understand what ingredients go into the making of breath mints.
Mint
The basic ingredient in most breath mints is mint. Genuses that come from the mint family (scientific name Lamiaceae or Labiatae) include spearmint (Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha piperita).
Sweetener
The second essential ingredient in most breath mints is sugar. Some sugar-free mints may use sugar substitutes such as sorbitol and zilotrol. Regardless of how small the mint is, the sweetener is a large percentage of the ingredients--sometimes as high as 60 percent, depending on the brand. When people consume large amounts of sugar-free breath mints (especially smokers), they may experience some indigestion because of the amount of sorbitol in the mints.
Binder
The third ingredient in the mint is the binder. This is used to combine the various ingredients together to create the mint. Different breath mint brands use different amounts of binders, but the main ingredients are essentially the same. Some common binders are gelatin, corn syrup and gum arabic.
Secondary Ingredients
Some other ingredients in breath mints are lubricants, such as magnesium stearate and stearic acid, which help the chemicals remain stable during the manufacturing process. Natural and artificial flavors are added to make the mint more palatable. Some breath-freshening compounds may also be added. Carnauba wax makes the mint glossy.
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