AHHH!! I can't breathe!

We ran out of coffee creamer this morning. I was going to go to the store to get some. I had had my coffee, but my mom hadn't. I thought of a quick and easy way to temporarily dispel morning breath. We have 100% peppermint oil in the cabinet that we got from the Natural Food Store. It only takes one drop to work. I unscrewed the cap, placed my thumb over the opening, turned the bottle upside down and right side up, and placed my thumb on my tongue. Ahh...that will do nicely. In just a couple of seconds I will feel so refreshed. The people at the store will never know I had not yet brushed my teeth. I started to feel the peppermint spread through my mouth. It intensified. Beyond what I had experienced before. I had gotten a little too much! What?! But how? It didn't seem like that much on my thumb! 

I leaned over the kitchen sink breathing through my mouth, and then my nose - but it wasn't any different. Every time I breathed, an overwhelming dose of peppermint filled my mouth and throat. I felt nauseous. I waited for 30 long seconds until finally I could at least breath normally. I downed some water, only to feel worse. 

I just waited. My mom came into the kitchen. I told her what had happened. She reminded me to be careful with that stuff, and also informed me the store wasn't open anyway. It was 5:30 in the morning. One half hour until they open. Oh gosh.

Fortunately, I did not get sick, but it took 20 minutes until that strong taste left the back of my mouth. Even now - after almost an hour after it happened - I can still taste it a little.

Lesson learned: Don't use too much peppermint oil! And don't assume the store is open either.

--Brandon