Breath spray
Template:Short description Breath spray is a product sprayed into the mouth for the purpose of temporarily eliminating or at least covering up bad breath. The masking effect is short-term<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and reported to last for 4-6 hours.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Breath sprays are occasionally advertised as being for smokers or those who dip tobacco, and occasionally to cover up the smell of cigarette/cigar smoking.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Common flavours include cinnamon, spearmint and peppermint, as well as company-specific flavors, such as "Ice Mint", "Cool Mint" or "Supermint".
Some breath sprays are purported by their manufacturers to have antibacterial or anti-plaque properties, containing ingredients, such as chlorine dioxide,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> chlorhexidine,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> cetylpyridinium chloride,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> essential oils, hinokitiol,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and zinc ions. As alcohol is frequently a prime ingredient of breath sprays, some brands advertise their products as alcohol-free. Alcohol is thought to be responsible for causing dry mouth when alcohol-containing breath sprays or mouthwashes are used too frequently.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Some brands also advocate for using sugar-free formulations considering the disadvantageous consequences of sugar of causing caries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>