Posted in history. Tags: bacteria, bad breath, cachous, Chinese, dry mouth, Egyptians, halitophobia, Halitosis, Helicobacter pylori, history, Listerine, pseudo-halitosis, Toothpicks, Zenker's diverticulum.

Elena Conis has written an interesting article for the Los Angeles Times in which she discusses the history of bad breath. The Egyptians were the first to come up with the breath mint. The Chinese were the first to brush their teeth in order to eliminate bad breath. Breath fresheners (called cachous) became “must have” items in the 1800s.

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