Among the many over the counter products available to deal with breath odor, breath drops are probably regarded as one of the most convenient but least effective choices. They are convenient because they can be carried in a pocket or purse and used quickly and surreptitiously in a cloak room or rest room. They are least effective because they usually only provide a quick fix – after a few minutes, the breath odor returns.

If bad breath is due to something trivial, like a strong smelling food, garlic, smoking, or coffee, a quick fix with Rembrandt breath drops, or some other popular brand might be all you really need. If you have a chronic bad breath problem, however, seek out a brand that will help to rid your mouth of the bacteria that are causing the odor – anaerobic bacteria living mostly on your tongue at the back of your mouth.

It’s recommended that you use alcohol free breath drops – although alcohol is antibacterial, it also tends to dry out the tissues of the mouth. Saliva plays an important role in keeping the numbers of halitosis bacteria down, so using preparations with alcohol in them may be counterproductive. A few types of breath drops, including Rembrandt breath drops and TheraBreath drops do not contain alcohol.

Simply avoiding alcohol, however, is not enough to actively reduce the number of odor-producing bacteria in your mouth. In order to do this, you need to kill them or physically remove them. That’s why bad breath specialists recommend a breath care regimen that goes far beyond alcohol free breath drops. The best breath remedies combine cleaning (brushing, flossing, tongue scraping) with something that carries the bacteria away or kills many of them. Popular products, like Altoid mints and Rembrandt breath drops, are good at temporarily fixing your breath – for a longer lasting fix, you’re going to need a more specialized product.

Look for products that contain chlorhexidine, zinc, oxidizing agents like sodium chlorite, or a two-step system using olive oil. These ingredients attack the bacteria, decreasing their numbers and therefore decreasing the odor. Once you find a system that works, you probably won’t have to carry breath drops any more.