Peppermint oil is known for its therapeutic and aromatic properties hence being used for treatments and flavoring. Some are recommending taking peppermint oil orally, while some are making some products containing it which are also being consumed through the mouth. Despite many claims that oral ingestion of peppermint oil is safe, it is still helpful to remember that, improper use of this oil can cause side effects.
What comes into our mouths and what comes out from our mouths are both important. We may hear or read recommendations from different sources about the efficacy of taking peppermint oil orally to treat some health issues. If it’s so convincing, we may be tempted to believe and follow these resources. However, presentations without evidence-based information may only lead us to confusion or worse trigger us to put something in our mouth that can cause side effects.
To practice oral care, it is helpful to be careful about what we follow. Not all recommendations are beneficial. and helpful. Some may only lead us to face some side effects. Safety guidelines from legitimate sources that are based on evidence and thorough investigations are more needed. These are more reliable and helpful. Ergo, in this post, we present case studies that show the effect of peppermint oil on the mouth. We only focused on details that are supported by research.
1. triggered asthma caused by peppermint candy scent
A 2011 study purported that smelling peppermint aroma can trigger asthma. A 54-year-old woman with dyspnea was exposed to a peppermint scent and complained that she could not stand smelling the scent of mints. It’s hard for her to breathe and her right lung hurts when she’s near mints. Even just smelling Tic Tac candies from the breath of the people she encounters at work, makes it difficult for her to breathe. Even mint-scented cleaning liquids make it hard for her to breathe. The woman also reported that when she was a child, she played in their garden with peppermint plants. The researchers concluded that her asthma was being triggered when she smelled mint because she might have been sensitized when she smelled the scent of peppermint when she was a child. Therefore she was advised to refrain from mint exposure. (1)
2. anaphylaxis caused by peppermint candy
Another case related to peppermint candy was reported in a 2014 investigation. The researchers reported that an immediate reaction has been manifested after a 69-year-old male sucked a peppermint candy. The man experienced lip tongue swelling, throat tightness, and shortness of breath and eventually experienced coughing, wheezing as well as difficulty talking and swallowing. The symptoms appeared within 5 minutes after taking the peppermint candy. He had a history of experiencing adverse reactions after using Colgate peppermint toothpaste. Moreover, he experienced nasal congestion, cough, and wheezing when she was gardening in the backyard with mint plants. Hence he was advised to abstain from taking mint-containing products, and he also removed the mint plants in his backyard. The avoidance of peppermint resulted in alleviating his symptoms. Although cases of IgE-mediated anaphylaxis seldom happen, this case has elicited that some can experience adverse reactions after using products with peppermint. This may happen especially for people who have a history of being allergic to mints. (2)
3. cheilitis caused by toothpaste and lip balm
a. inflamed lips caused by toothpaste
A 74-year-old patient had cheilitis (inflammation of the mouth) after several weeks of using a toothpaste with terpene ketone L-carvone. This compound is known to be contained in mint oils including peppermint oil. The patch testing conducted confirmed that the woman had an inflamed lip due to the main substance in the flavor additive which is the terpene ketone L-carvone. (3)
b. scaling and edema on the lips caused by toothpaste
A 2019 study also reported a case of a 25-year-old woman who experienced cheilitis with scaling and edema on the lips after using peppermint oil toothpaste. The result of patch testing revealed that it reacted with peppermint oil. She was recommended to abstain from using peppermint toothpaste as well as other products that have a minty scent. By following the advice of the physicians, the cheilitis concern of the patient was resolved. (4)
c. cheilitis caused by lip balm
Another rare case of cheilitis caused by peppermint oil has been reported in a 2010 study. Using a lip balm with peppermint oil resulted in allergic contact cheilitis (ACC) among four patients. The symptoms were apparent on the lips and the perioral skin of the patients. Though sensitizers such as propolis, lanolin, coconut oil, almond oil, peppermint oil, and vitamin E were found in the lip balm, the patch test result yielded that peppermint oil seemed to be the most probable cause of the ACC. (5)
4. diarrhea and abdominal pain caused by peppermint candy
A 56-year-old female who had a fear of having bad breath daily consumed 30 to 40 Altoids which is a breath mint candy containing peppermint oil. The woman experienced diarrhea and abdominal pain. After following the advice of abstaining from taking any peppermint-captaining products, her condition improved. Hence the researcher concluded that although this happens very rarely, peppermint oil can also cause symptoms like IBD. Moreover, they purported that eliminating the consumption of peppermint products can improve symptoms. (6)
Side effects do happen. Hence, we should be responsible for practicing caution before following a certain suggestion on how to take peppermint oil. Though it is tempting to listen to different recommendations, it is important to remember that not all recommendations are helpful and reliable. Realizing this made me prefer to only rely on legitimate sources that are based on research and come with proven evidence. Moreover, I prefer to read sources that honestly discuss how to use peppermint oil and present both the advantages as well as the side effects of peppermint oil. This enables me to understand what to expect from using peppermint oil, and what should I be aware of to ensure the safe utilization of peppermint oil.
Choosing to focus on what’s only reliable allows me to save time in learning more about peppermint oil. It enables me to avoid consuming time on unnecessary recommendations that do not help me understand peppermint oil better. These noises can only confuse me as they may present more side effects than there are really. hence I prefer to only listen and read literature that will accurately guide me about peppermint oil as it is based on real evidence.
Follow what’s reliable
References:
- (1) Eczema, A. M., & Barnett, T. (2011). Allergic reaction to mint leads to asthma. Allergy & rhinology (Providence, R.I.), 2(1), 43–45. https://doi.org/10.2500/ar.2011.2.0008
- (2) Bayat, R., & Borici-Mazi, R. (2014). A case of anaphylaxis to peppermint. Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology: official journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 10(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1710-1492-10-6
- (3) Hausen B. M. (1984). Zahnpasta-Allergie [Toothpaste allergy]. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946), 109(8), 300–302. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2008-1069184
- (4) Griggs J., Almohanna H., Ahmed A., Ren A., Tosti A. Fresh Breath” on Toothpaste: Peppermint as Cause of Cheilitis. American Contact Dermatitis Society. 1/2 2019 – Volume 30 – Issue 1 – p 74-75. DOI: 10.1097/DER.0000000000000433
- (5) Tran, A., Pratt, M., & DeKoven, J. (2010). Acute allergic contact dermatitis of the lips from peppermint oil in a lip balm. Dermatitis: contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 21(2), 111–115.
- (6) Heath, R., Cockerell C., Bechtold M. Peppermint Oil Toxicity: Good for Your Breath but Can Be Bad for Your Bowels. American Journal of Gastroenterology: October 2017 – Volume 112 – Issue – p S1531
Ciele 