My Romanian great grandmother used to make a lip suave out of cloves, lard and honey. The older relatives would swear by it. I'm sure it didn't help their breath too much. Although cloves is sort of a freshener in a way.
My Mother would rub vics mentholated ointment on my chest and make me swallow a small dollop of it when I struggled with early asthma or a cold which would trigger it. I don't know how it helped my breathing, but the siblings said I had quite a regular bowel system.