Spoiler alert: today’s column is light reading, to be taken humorously. Please do not find it offensive. We’ll return to more serious topics next week.
Remember halitosis? Those of us who recall dating in the 1950s and 60s certainly should. The slick magazine ads for antiseptic mouthwash convinced me that gargling to avoid bad breath provided quick and easy evidence of clean living. Not that I was fond of garlic, but those green onions Mother grew in our garden were tasty.
Contrary to popular legend, the term halitosis was not invented by a certain pharmaceutical company. It actually dates from the 1870s, although it became commonplace in the 1920s. That’s when a marketing campaign promoted Listerine as the solution for “chronic halitosis.” A solution maybe, but you and I both know it did not eradicate the condition.
Nor is halitosis merely a modern affliction. Records mentioning bad breath have been discovered dating to 1550 B.C. A mouthwash of wine and herbs was once recommended as a way of solving the problem.
Listerine (named for Joseph Lister, who promoted the idea of sterilizing medical instruments) was invented in the nineteenth century as a powerful surgical antiseptic. It was later sold, in distilled form, as both a floor cleaner and a mouthwash (not both from the same bottle).
But it wasn't a runaway success until the 1920s. That’s when Listerine's ads featured forlorn young women and men, eager for marriage but turned off by their potential mate's stinky breath.
“Can I be happy with him in spite of that?” one maiden asked herself. In this way, Listerine became a clear and early example of a new trend: marketing campaigns creating problems that the product is alleged to fix.
In just seven years, the company's revenues soared to more than $8 million.Today the brand name is also used on toothpaste, several rinses, and even self-dissolving strips to whiten teeth. The market has grown and diversified.
Don’t ask me how the following statistic was obtained, but the Wall Street Journal reported last week that “about 25% of adults world-wide suffer from chronic halitosis.”
Pity the poor researcher who carried out the study.
By the way, many people who seek remedies actually suffer from halitophobia, the fear of bad breath. They are around people who have sour breath, which makes them think they have it themselves. Having a bad taste in the mouth says nothing about your breath.
Regular brushing and flossing is the best remedy. Breath spray and mints just mask the problem temporarily.
Don’t try a self-diagnosis by licking your wrist or blowing into your hand or under a blanket. Just ask a trusted friend or family member.
Jerry Lincecum is a retired English professor who now teaches classes for older adults who want to write their life stories. He welcomes your reminiscences on any subject: jlincecum@me.com