How can avoid getting a dry mouth?

March 16, 2008 6:06 PM

My job requires that I speak for long periods of time. Often I end up with a very, very dry mouth making it difficult to talk clearly. Aside from "drink lots of water" are there other secrets to keeping my mouth well lubricated?
posted by Proginoskes to health (11 comments total)

My mom lost her salivary glands to cancer...she uses this gel from Orajel, the same people that make the cold sore stuff...but its a lubricating gel for your mouth instead of a medicine thing....usually on the top shelf above the denture adhesives.
posted by legotech at 6:20 PM on March 16

I used to do some TV work and found that drinking water ironically made my mouth even drier. I've found it's better to use something that "coats"... like some sort of creamy drink. I might be looking in the direction of banana smoothies and frappucinos.
posted by mr. creosote at 6:30 PM on March 16

- Gargle with warm salt water, which provides a soothing coating on the mucus membranes and reduces swelling.
- Keep your home or other controllable environments adequately humid (apparently Celine Dion keeps her home at 55-62 percent).
- I've also used Singer's Saving Grace for sore and dry throats. The flavor takes some getting used to, but it helps.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:47 PM on March 16

I find that popping a cough drop for a few minutes works wonders. You can spit it out right before you have to speak.
posted by evalenza at 7:15 PM on March 16

Lubricate
posted by hortense at 7:24 PM on March 16

Humidify. I live in a prewar apartment with very dry heat. Without a humidifier, I too wake up in the morning with a very dry mouth (although mine goes away once I brush my teeth). Run the humidifier overnight, and everything goes back to normal.

Look for an ultrasonic cool-mist humidifier. The ultrasonic device is very quiet; cool mist is healtheir than warm and won't make your room feel steamy. Some models have humidity sensors, so you can set them to keep your bedroom at a consistent level.
posted by werty at 7:52 PM on March 16

Biotene.
posted by Caviar at 7:59 PM on March 16

Nthing the humidifier, stay hydrated, stimulate salival production with a cough drop, etc. suggestions.

Hortense, that link goes to an "oil pulling cure" and mentions Deepak Chopra. It also alleges that swishing around sunflower oil inside your mouth makes it subsequently unfit for consumption because of the presence of mouth bacteria - as if a person doesn't already swallow billions upon billions a day. It cites no scientific authority other than a few "doctors", who are identified only by generic surnames. That article more or less epitomizes evey pseudo-scientific "miracle cure" crock piece promoted in the last 50 years. Moreover, such a lubricating solution - even if it last for the short term - is sure to be washed out of mouth in a few minutes by saliva, if not the next beverage consumed to address the dry throat.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 9:03 PM on March 16

Elaborate
.... in modern dietetics too, dryness is discussed. For example, lack of Vitamin A (retinal) causes the outer lining of the eyeball to dry and wrinkle, and affects vision.

And as any dietician would tell you, all oils contain 960 micrograms of vitamin A per 10 gm (the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A per adult is 600 micrograms). So, it's possible that oil gargling helps in reaching the required retinal to the eyeballs and keeps them elastic and smooth. from Chopra's book Perfect Health
posted by hortense at 9:39 PM on March 16

And as any dietician would tell you, all oils contain 960 micrograms of vitamin A per 10 gm (the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A per adult is 600 micrograms). So, it's possible that oil gargling helps in reaching the required retinal to the eyeballs and keeps them elastic and smooth. from Chopra's book Perfect Health

This is the mouth, not the eyes. Additionally, not all oils contain a significant amount of Vitamin A, AND it is unlikely that his problem stems from a Vitamin A deficiency. He'd likely have far worse symptoms than dry mouth if that were the case. The Hindustan Times is not a medical journal or an otherwise reputable source of scientific information.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 5:55 AM on March 17 [1 favorite]

Oasis: Mouth Spray or Mouth Wash. You pick. I haven't tried the spray, but it seems like it would be cool to keep in a briefcase or whatever.
posted by whiskey point at 10:01 AM on March 17