Thank sodium laureth sulfate for ruining your breakfast. This surfactant—added to toothpastes to create foam and make the paste easier to spread—suppresses receptors on our taste buds that perceive sweetness. It also breaks up the tongue’s phospholipids, enhancing bitter tastes. To end this torture, consider a toothpaste without this ingredient—or brush after meals instead of, say, right before breakfast.—Matt Soniak, from Mental Floss