Innovation No. 9 of 77 in the book
Breath Mints
A recipe for fresh breath written in the Ebers Papyrus
- When
- c. 1550 BCE
- Dynasty
- 18th Dynasty
- Era
- New Kingdom
The world’s first breath mint is a recipe in the Ebers Papyrus, written around 1550 BCE in the early New Kingdom.
It calls for frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon boiled with honey and shaped into little pellets, to be sucked or chewed to sweeten the mouth.
These weren’t candy. Bad breath signaled rot and disease, and the aromatic resins genuinely masked it while their oils fought some of the bacteria causing it.
Long before Tic Tacs, Egypt was rolling breath fresheners by hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest archaeological evidence for breath mints in ancient Egypt?
The earliest confirmed evidence dates to approximately 1550 BCE during Egypt's New Kingdom (18th Dynasty). The world’s first breath mint is a recipe in the Ebers Papyrus, written around 1550 BCE in the early New Kingdom.
How did ancient Egyptians develop breath mints, and what is its legacy?
It calls for frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon boiled with honey and shaped into little pellets, to be sucked or chewed to sweeten the mouth. It calls for frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon boiled with honey and shaped into little pellets, to be sucked or chewed to sweeten the mouth. Long before Tic Tacs, Egypt was rolling breath fresheners by hand.