Why Does Mint Make Your Mouth Feel Cold?

When you chew a piece of mint gum and then take a drink, the drink seems colder than it would otherwise. It's not colder, that's an illusion from your brain and a protein called TRPM8.
TRPM8 doesn’t just respond to cold temperatures, though. It also activates in the presence of menthol, a waxy, crystalline organic compound found in peppermint and other mint oils. (It responds to other “cooling agents,” too, like eucalyptol and icilin. Why, exactly, is unknown; menthol just happens to fit the cellular “lock.”)

Read about how this works at mental_floss. Link

I doesn't only work in your mouth but on your skin, too. A few years back I had the flu and wanted to take a bath with mint oil in the water to breathe a little easier. Only I put too much oil in and after a minute I thought I was freezing even though the water was hot. I had to take a few showers to get the oil off and stop shaking from the percieved "cold".
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Click here to access all of this post's 1 comments




Email This Post to a Friend
"Why Does Mint Make Your Mouth Feel Cold?"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More