Why Is Toothpaste Mint Flavored？
为什么牙膏是薄荷味的？
There are certain aspects of our day that are so routine, so instinctual, we typically never slow down enough to question, “Why?” One example is toothpaste. We know why we brush with it (hello, healthy smile!), but who decided its default flavor is mint? Why not tarragon? Dill? Anything else in the herb family? For the answer to this question, we take into account history and the hits and misses of other flavor options.我们一天中的某些方面是如此的例行公事，如此的本能，我们通常从不放慢脚步去质疑，“为什么？”牙膏就是一个例子。我们知道为什么要刷它（你好，健康的微笑！），但谁决定它的默认口味是薄荷？为什么不是塔拉贡？小茴香？草药家族还有别的吗？对于这个问题的答案，我们考虑了历史和曾经热门和错过的其他风格。


Keeping it conventional
保持传统
Yes, we’ve seen our share of toothpaste stunts. A company called Accoutrements once touted a bacon toothpaste as well as a cupcake flavored variety. These are no longer available in paste form but you can still get the idea (if you dare) with bacon floss. Aside from making for great gag gifts, clearly these out-of-the-box flavors didn’t catch on in the world of oral hygiene. However, if you want to find unexpected ways to use your toothpaste, these ideas are genius.是的，我们也看到过我们的牙膏特技。一家名为Accountments的公司曾经兜售一种培根牙膏和一种纸杯蛋糕口味的牙膏。这些已经不再以牙膏形式存在，但你仍然可以得到（如果你敢）培根牙线的想法。除了制作很棒的噱头礼物外，这些现成的口味显然在口腔卫生领域并不流行。然而，如果你想找到意想不到的方法来使用你的牙膏，这些想法是天才。
“People prefer mint to other ingredients because it has a high content of a key active ingredient: Menthol,” explains Catalina Lee, Colgate Worldwide Director, Global Flavors and Fragrances. “Menthol tricks the brain, sending a signal that creates a sensation that you have ice in your mouth. It’s a refreshing and clean taste. That’s why we prefer mint.”“人们更喜欢薄荷而不是其他成分，因为薄荷含有一种重要的活性成分：薄荷醇，”高露洁全球香料和香水总监Catalina Lee解释道。薄荷醇欺骗大脑，发出一个信号，让人感觉你嘴里有冰。这是一种清爽干净的味道。所以我们更喜欢薄荷糖。”
In Colgate’s case, the brand began using North American peppermint and spearmint oil to flavor their toothpaste in the late 1800s. That’s a long time to make a case for the cool-tasting leaf.以高露洁为例，该品牌在19世纪末开始使用北美薄荷油和留兰香油为牙膏调味，这是一个很长的时间来证明这种清凉的叶子。

A quick history lesson
速览一个历史教育
According to Lee, it’s believed that the Egyptians were the first to use a teeth-cleaning paste around 500 B.C. This was long before the toothbrush as we know it today was invented (which, according to the Library of Congress, was introduced in 1938). Similarly, around 500 B.C., Ancient Greeks and Romans were also believed to have started using some form of toothpaste, but it was the Chinese who got creative with the stuff, using an array of different substances to freshen their mouths, like ginseng, herbal mints, and salt.据Lee说，人们相信埃及人是第一个在公元前500年左右使用洁牙膏的人。这是在我们今天所知道的牙刷发明之前很久的事（根据国会图书馆的说法，这种牙刷是在1938年发明的）。同样，大约在公元前500年，古希腊人和罗马人也开始使用某种牙膏，但正是中国人创造性地使用这种牙膏，使用一系列不同的物质来清新口腔，如人参、草药薄荷糖和盐。
“Be thankful for flavoring in toothpaste,” says Lee. “Brushing is a boring routine, and flavor engages people in their brushing. And without mint or other flavors, today’s toothpaste would taste unpleasant, bitter, astringent, and metallic.”“感谢牙膏的味道，”Lee说。“刷牙是一种枯燥的习惯，而香精则让人们参与刷牙。如果没有薄荷或其他口味的牙膏，今天的牙膏会有难闻、苦、涩和金属味。”


Considering other options
考虑其他选择
Take a look on Amazon, or even a walk down a personal care aisle at Target, and you’ll notice there are way more flavor options than just mint. Toothpaste targeted towards kids, in particular, boast tastes like strawberry, bubblegum, watermelon, and chocolate. Still, it’s hard to beat that oh-so-fresh feeling of mint. We can’t quit it.看看亚马逊，甚至在Target超市的个人护理走道上走走，你会发现这里有比薄荷更多的口味选择。特别是针对儿童的牙膏，有草莓、泡泡糖、西瓜和巧克力的味道。不过，很难打破薄荷的清新感觉。我们不能放弃。
“Mint, spearmint, and wintergreen remain the lead flavors for oral care applications,” says Lee. “But consumers are open to other types of flavors.”“薄荷，留兰香和冬绿色仍然是口腔护理应用的主要口味，”李说。“但消费者对其他口味持开放态度。”
If you’re interested in taking a walk on the wild side, she notes that there are other flavor profiles to consider depending on your personal preference. For example, spice essential oils like cinnamon, clove, anise, and vanilla can offer a sense of warmth, though preferably the formula would include these ingredients at low levels as to not taste disruptive.如果你有兴趣在野外散步，她指出，根据你的个人喜好，还可以考虑其他口味。例如，香料精油，如肉桂、丁香、茴香和香草，可以提供温暖的感觉，但最好配方中包含这些低水平的成分，以免味道破坏。
“Citrus oils provide a top note of flavor,” says Lee. “Lemon is fresh and citrusy, lime is fresh but pungent, and orange is sweet and fruity.”Lee说：“柑橘油为味道提供了最好的调子。柠檬是新鲜的，有柠檬味；酸橙是新鲜的，但有刺激性；橘子是甜的，有水果味。
It all boils down to what you like, what makes your mouth feel fresh, and what provides a feeling of confidence going into your day. If that’s mint, clearly you’re not alone. With such a long history as a frontrunner in the toothpaste field, it looks the instinctive ingredient really is tops. Whatever your flavor preference is, you’ll want to follow these golden rules for healthy, white teeth.一切都归结为你喜欢什么，什么让你的嘴感觉新鲜，什么让你的一天充满自信。如果那是薄荷糖，显然你并不孤单。作为牙膏领域的领跑者，它有着如此悠久的历史，看起来它的本能成分真的是一流的。不管你喜欢什么口味，你都要遵循这些健康洁白牙齿的黄金法则。


Key Words and Phrases
1. aspect  n. 方面2. routine  adj. 惯例的 n. 惯例3. instinctual  adj. 本能地4. default  adj. 默认的5. take into account 考虑6. conventional adj. 传统的7. aside from  除了…外还有8. catch on  流行9. content  n. 内容10. ingredient  n. 原料11. it’s believed that…  人们相信12. substance  n. 物质13. engage sb. in doing 使某人参与做某事14. in particular 尤其是，特别是15. depend on  依赖16. instinctive  adj. 天生的


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