Bad Breath Cure

Scientists in Illinois are reporting that breath mints made with sweet magnolia bark extract kill most oral bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth decay within 30 minutes.

People often use chewing gum and mints to battle bad breath. However, those products only temporarily mask the odor of bad breath, which is caused by bacteria. Existing anti-bacterial products for bad breath are far from ideal, with some having side effects like tooth staining.

The new study tested the bacteria-killing power of magnolia bark extract using saliva samples taken from volunteers following a regular meal. Mints containing the extract killed more than 61 percent of the germs that cause bad breath within 30 minutes the researchers say.

The sweet magnolia bark extract also showed strong antibacterial activity against a group of bacteria known to cause cavities.

Mints, chewing gum, toothpaste and mouthwash containing the magnolia extract may be further researched and available soon.

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