When you're on a date, going to a job interview or enjoying a meal with friends, you want to make sure your breath smells fresh. Luckily, there's a simple way to mask bad breath caused by foods with pungent odours like onion and garlic. There are all kinds of breath mints to choose from, including minty strips, tablets and sweets, so you're sure to find something to your liking.
In this article, we rank the top 10 best breath mints in the UK available on Amazon, Asda, Tesco and Waitrose. To help you decide, we've put together a guide with helpful tips, including advice on sweeteners such as xylitol for improved dental hygiene. By following our tips, you're sure to find mints that will banish bad breath, whilst being kinder to your teeth and gums.
Quick List - Top Breath Mints
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It can be hard to know which breath mints to choose when you have so much variety. To help you decide, we've put together this guide on what to look for. Worry not, following our advice is sure to leave your breath feeling fresh!
Maintaining good breath is a challenge, especially if you eat a lot of garlic and onion! Luckily, there are a few options when choosing breath mints. A simple solution is chewing mint flavoured sweets. Pop a couple in your mouth, and it'll temporarily mask bad breath for a couple of hours, leaving your mouth feeling refreshed.
For longer-lasting freshness, try minty tablets. These can freshen your breath for up to four hours. Unlike classic breath mints, they dissolve instantly leaving your mouth feeling clean. Finally, if you're looking for a more comprehensive fix, choose strips. These kill up to 99% of germs that cause bad breath instead of just masking it!
Mints that contain sugar could make your breath worse in the long run. This is because the bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugar, worsening breath once the temporary freshness has worn off. Therefore, it's much better to look for sugar-free varieties that won't cause bacteria growth!
Masking bad breath isn't the only thing breath mints can do to improve your oral hygiene. Some sugar-free breath mints contain a sweetener called xylitol, which helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It's also thought that erythritol is good for dental hygiene, as it can reduce plaque.
Mints sometimes contain natural sweeteners like sorbitol, but the majority of sweeteners used are artificial. These include sucralose, acesulfame K, aspartame, neotame and isomalt. Artificial sweeteners have a bad rep, as claims link them to health problems. However, these claims aren't proven, and the NHS recommends that they're safe to consume.
Even though there are over 600 different varieties of mint, most breath mints contain common edible varieties, like peppermint and spearmint. Spearmint is subtle and sweet, whilst peppermint contains more menthol, giving it a strong and spicy kick.
You'll sometimes see products listing varieties of mint, like 'cool mint', 'fresh mint' or 'polar mint'. Don't let the names confuse you, there are no varieties of mint plant that go by these names. They're often just concocted from a mix of peppermint and spearmint.
If the traditional taste isn't for you, try breath mints with added flavours, like lime, orange, strawberry and cinnamon. The flavourings take the edge off the minty flavour, while still masking bad breath and leaving you feeling fresh!
Select breath mints that come in dispensers or tins if you're planning on using them on the go. It'll keep the mints safe and contained, as the last thing you want is them rolling around your bag or pocket!
Cardboard or plastic dispensers are particularly handy, as they make it quick and easy for you to get the mints or strips out one at a time. However, tins will be more robust and you can refill them once you run out.
You're also doing your bit for the environment by choosing a tin over a plastic dispenser, especially if you reuse it!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Listerine Pocketpacks | ![]() | Kills Bacteria to Stop Bad Breath at the Source | |
2 | Peppersmith Peppermints|Pack of 12 | ![]() | Eco-Friendly Sweets That Are Kind to Teeth | |
3 | Smint Clean Breath |Pack of 12 | ![]() | Fresh Breath for up to Two Hours | |
4 | Listerine Go! Tabs |Pack of 48 | ![]() | Freshen Breath and Fight Tooth Decay | |
5 | Wrigley's Extra Peppermint Sugar-free Mints|Pack of 24 | ![]() | Try This Popular Sugar-Free Option | |
6 | Mentos Mentos Mint Roll | ![]() | Vegan-Friendly Sweets With a Chewy Texture | |
7 | Barkleys Sugar-Free Cinnamon Intense Mints | ![]() | A Sweet and Spicy Cinnamon Taste | |
8 | PUR 100% Xylitol Mints, Sugarless Spearmint|Pack of 12 | ![]() | Delicious Mints in Fun Flavours | |
9 | Altoids Curiously Strong Mints | ![]() | Mask Bad Breath With Strong Tasting Peppermint | |
10 | Tic Tac Fresh Mint Multi Pack|Pack of 4 | ![]() | A Convenient Plastic Dispenser to Use on the Go |
Anyone who suffers from long-term bad breath should try these mints. Unlike others, these strips don't just mask bad breath, they target it at the source by killing 99% of the bacteria that cause it! They're kind to your teeth and mouth too, as they're free from sugar and alcohol.
You can pop these breath strips in your bag and use them on the go, as they come inside a plastic dispenser. Best of all, you'll get your money's worth, as there are three dispensers per pack with 24 strips in each one.
These eco-friendly sweets come in mini cardboard dispensers, which are much better than plastic alternatives. That way, you can do your bit for the environment by recycling them once you're finished! These sweets are good for dental health too, as they're sugar-free and contain the sweeter xylitol, which helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
Furthermore, they're recommended by dentists and approved by the Oral Health Association. Not to mention the strong peppermint flavour that will leave your mouth feeling fresh.
If you're going on a date or a meal with friends, consider buying these breath mints! They're a great temporary fix that will freshen your breath for up to two hours. Don't worry if strong mint isn't to your liking, these breath mints also come in a strawberry flavour.
They're sugar-free, so they won't damage your teeth or worsen your breath in the long run. Plus, they're good for the environment as they come in a tin which you can reuse time and time again. Overall, they're a great buy!
Here are some breath mint tablets that contain xylitol and erythritol. These sweaters can be great for oral health as they help to reduce the bacteria and plaque build-up that causes tooth decay and gum problems. They're fast-acting and work in seconds if you chew, swish and swallow them.
They're ideal for use in-between brushes, as the fresh feeling from these tablets lasts up to four hours - That's much longer than breath sweets! And they're alcohol-free, so they won't burn when you swish them around your mouth.
Wrigley's Extra mints are an extremely popular choice! These are sugar-free, so they won't contribute to bacteria build-up, which could cause dental problems in the long run. They have a strong taste of peppermint that will mask even the worst breath, with a pleasant spicy kick!
If you use mints regularly, you can stock up with this pack of 24. With a total of 384 mints, they're sure to last you a while and are ideal for refilling tins as they come in paper packaging.
If you're worried about hard mints damaging your teeth, try these chewable mint-flavoured sweets! They're flavoured with natural peppermint that has a strong yet pleasant taste. Eating one of these is sure to freshen your breath after a meal!
They do contain sugar, so aren't the healthiest option either. On the plus side, you can get a pack for under £1 and they contain coconut oil for improved texture and taste.
If it's flavoured mints you're after, we recommend trying these! They have a spicy cinnamon kick that'll remind you of cosy autumn days. They're also free from gelatine, gluten and sugar, making them suitable for a range of dietary requirements.
As you only get 15 g of mints per pack, they won't last that long. But once you've finished them, you could reuse the tin to store small objects, or refill it with more mints!
These mints come in many different varieties and flavours, including spearmint, peppermint, tangerine tango, lime mint and polar mint. If you don't like strong minty tastes, try the fruit flavoured options for a subtler and sweeter taste. Free from sugar and artificial flavourings, they're sweetened instead with with xylitol.
The mints have a slightly chalky texture that isn't for everyone, but despite this, they have many positives. They can be enjoyed by everyone, as they're free from nuts, soy and gluten. Plus they're vegan and keto friendly too!
These mints have a seriously strong taste, as they're made with natural peppermint oil. They're a great choice to mask bad breath after eating a meal, whilst also tasting delicious. As traditional sugary sweets, they should be enjoyed in moderation. Although the small serving size, prevents them from being too unhealthy.
Unfortunately, these mints can't be enjoyed by vegans or vegetarians as they contain gelatine. If this isn't an issue for you, they're a great choice and come in a portable tin that you can reuse.
These minty Tic Tac's come in a convenient plastic dispenser. It'll keep your sweets safe whilst they're in your bag or pocket, and when you're ready to dispense them, you can enjoy the famous Tic Tac rattle. They're also made with natural mint oil for that fresh mouth feeling.
Despite tasting delicious, Tic Tac mints aren't the healthiest option as they're made up of over 90% sugar. So make sure to enjoy in moderation instead of eating them all at once!
Bad breath can often be addressed by practicing good oral hygiene. That's why we've linked our guides to some of the best dental care products in the UK below. From electric toothbrushes to dental floss, it's never been easier to properly clean your teeth and gums!
Whether you're planning on eating out, or going on a date, after reading our guide, you should now know the top things to consider when tackling bad breath. We hope our ranking of the top 10 breath mints has left you feeling fresh!
Author: Rosa Fairfield
No. 1: Listerine|Pocketpacks
No. 2: Peppersmith|Peppermints|Pack of 12
No. 3: Smint|Clean Breath |Pack of 12
No. 4: Listerine|Go! Tabs |Pack of 48
No. 5: Wrigley's |Extra Peppermint Sugar-free Mints|Pack of 24
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