A coworker of mine recently pulled a mint out of an unusually bright green tin can. These weren’t your regular Altoids, but Flintts Mints Mouth Watering Mints — mints specially formulated to combat dry mouth. Intrigued and in need of a breath mint, I popped one of the watermelon-flavored mints between my lips. Almost instantaneously, a tingly, electric sensation hit my mouth along with a surge of saliva.
I’m painting a somewhat gross picture here, but, to my surprise, the mints worked exactly as intended. Using a plant flower extract called Spilanthes, the mints jolted my salivatory glands awake to produce an intense mouth-watering effect. I laughed and cracked a juvenile sex joke: “These would be useful for something else.”
Turns out my dumb quip had some merit behind it. Not only were these quirky tinned mints being marketed as a dry mouth aid, specifically for cannabis smokers, but they were also being advertised on sexual wellness retail sites as an oral sex enhancer.
Beyond numbing sprays, I wasn’t super familiar with this category of intimacy product, nor how expansive it was, until this year when Sporty and Rich founder Emily Oberg launched a sexual wellness entity called Sensual Sport.
The brand launched with three products — a pleasure gel, a vibrator and a “Wet Mouth Spray.” After a little research, the conceit of the product is quite simple. Using citric acid and lubricating agents like Glycerin, the spray produces a mouth-watering effect which makes for a better, or easier, oral sex experience. Packaged in a pocket-sized spray bottle, it’s also intended for use whenever and wherever the moment strikes.
You could also chew a gummy, like this green-apple flavored offering from Lovers. The gummies contain the same Spilanthes plant extract as the mouth-watering mints, along with a naturally occurring sugar called Xylitol. The effect is similar, instantly increasing saliva production for a wetter, slicker, sexier session of head.
“The purpose of an oral sex aid is to enhance various aspects of oral sex,” confirms sexologist Marla Renee Stewart. “These include mints, gummies, sprays, flavored condoms and lubes to uplevel the quality of an oral sexual experience.”
Whether you’re giving or receiving, extra lubrication is only going to improve the act. Still, Stewart notes that these oral sex supplements are intended mostly to augment the experience of the person giving head. (Think of it as a little treat for going down on your partner.) The varying textures and flavors of these enhancers add a fun, exciting element to oral sex, but they can also add a kick of confidence to the person pleasuring their partner. Sometimes dry mouth strikes at the most inopportune times. These products ensure idle saliva glands don’t ruin an intimate moment.
Your Sex Chest Checklist, According to a Woman
I’ve tried dozens of sexual wellness products. These are the only ones you need.They’re also quite inexpensive. You can pick up a pack of mouth-watering mints for just $8.
“Consumers are being conservative with their dollars these days, even when it comes to sex and pleasure,” says Jen May, VP of Marketing at Lovers. “These less expensive products give big value for the cost, and are a great way to add excitement, interest, sensation and desire without having to spend a lot.”
These cost-friendly oral additives remind me of the sex chocolates that went viral a few years ago. Are they a tad silly? Sure. But trying an aphrodisiac chocolate or sex gummy with your partner is a new, low-stakes activity you can explore together.
“Sex and pleasure can be fun! Some products just help amplify that fun, playful shared experience, and it’s nice to have products that let people explore in a low-barrier-to-entry way,” adds May.
If you do decide to pop a mint before you head on down there, just be wary of the ingredients in these products and how they interact with your partner’s body, notes Stewart.
“Be aware if the product contains sugar because that can upset your lover’s vulva and vaginal pH, which could put them out of commission for a week,” she explains. “You want to ensure that the products are body-safe and don’t contain any ingredients your lover is allergic to. Please obtain allergy information in advance and test it on other parts of the body before applying it to any mucous membranes. No one likes an itchy vulva.”
While you may be confident in your head game (and you may very well be an eating-out savant), you can always take it to the next level. These sensitizers will help you do just that.
Meet your guide
More Like This
We've put in the work researching, reviewing and rounding up all the shirts, jackets, shoes and accessories you'll need this season, whether it's for yourself or for gifting purposes. Sign up here for weekly style inspo direct to your inbox.
