Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with mouth

Super Germs invading my mouth

jadegenie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:50:29 -0800

Super germs... in my mouth?? I can never seem to rinse with Listerine for the recommended amount of time of either 30 or 60 seconds. I get to about 10-15 seconds and think... ow ow ow... must stop the burning... spit and rinse. I was thinking about that hand sanitizer issue where it only kills 99.9% of the germs and that last bit that's leftover will divide and eventually we end up with super germs. Is that what's also going on in my mouth?

I don't want to switch to another brand that doesn't cause so much tingling because I very much enjoy the sensation of clean in my mouth after the whole rinsing ritual.

Name that book: super powers from imagining you're sucking on a funny shape?

vytae — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:57:29 -0800

Is this a real book? All I remember is that 1 or more characters could activate some kind of special powers or transformational abilities by imagining the shape of a particular object in their mouth. I vaguely remember a story from my youth in which the character(s) could trigger something special by very explicitly imagining how a particular shape would feel in the mouth. My memory is that they would try to vividly conjure the feeling of holding a diamond-shaped, dice-like object in the mouth. If they did it right, they would temporarily have some magical power, or they would change into another form, or something. I've also got this phrase "form the sembler" attached to this particular memory, but I have no idea whether it's really related. I think the characters had to use these powers to fight against something sinister.

I think I would have read this between the ages of 10 and 15, so early 1990s, but I was reading a mixture of youth and grown-up fiction at that point.

Does this sound at all familiar? Google is giving me nothing, probably because I can't think of a concise way to describe imagining the shape of an object in the mouth.

What's this stuff on my lips?

nostrich — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:30:27 -0800

I often go on my break at work and realise a light layer of gunky stuff has built up on my lips. What on earth is it? My job basically entails working in a 2-3 degree celsius (average) refrigerator, where I move boxes around and generally make myself ache all over. It's a temporary thing, and not the kind of work I am used to.

I've noticed that when I go on my first break, after 2 and a half hours, there's some gunky build up on my lips. It's odd because I don't notice it until my break. I haven't examined it closely -- I work at night, and I'm outside smoking by the time I notice it, so I can't see it, really -- but it rubs off with my work glove easily enough. It seems to ball up into small "blobs" when I rub it off.

I suspect it's related to the temperature, since I don't get any sort of build up like this in my normal day-to-day activities. And probably the change in temperature from cold to not-quite-as-cold when I step outside to smoke, since I never notice it until then.

This isn't a medical question or anything, I'm just really curious about what it is!

My Mouth Feels Awkward

Anonymous — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:53:26 -0800

When I get nervous my mouth feels awkward. My tongue doesn't sit right in my mouth and I can't keep my mouth still. I come to the hive for advice. In anxious situations I can't find a position for my mouth to stay in. Everything in my mouth area feels awkward, and this throws off my otherwise comfortable confidence. I have tried fixing my mouth in certain positions (but it still feels uncomfortable), pushing my tongue against the roof of my mouth and releasing it (to relax the mouth), etc.

Holding my mouth still and relaxed likewise feels uncomfortable.

Maybe I'm overthinking this, as I don't think this bothers anyone I encounter too much, but it drives me crazy and throws off my groove.

What should I do?

throwaway email at mymouthfeelsawkward@gmail.com

Thanks in advance.

Cause of palate pain when eating

hungrysquirrels — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:08:32 -0800

Pain in the roof of the mouth when eating, often the first meal of the day. My Google-fu has failed. Just unanswered questions. Anyway, sometimes when I have a meal, usually the first of the day, the roof of my mouth starts to burn to the point where I have to stop eating.

Usually it is dry things like a bagel before eating or drinking something else, but right now I'm having some veggies that were cooked in olive oil and it's doing it again.

Anyone know what triggers this? Or at least a soothing remedy.

What is this little bump in my mouth?

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:17:30 -0800

Every now and then I get a tiny, non-painful bump in the back of my mouth, which feels a bit like a blister or pimple. What is it? I have never seen it, only felt it with my tongue/finger. It's similar in size, shape, and texture to those little orange roe eggs in sushi, and when it appears I can easily pop it by pressing on it with my finger, which is oddly satisfying. I haven't noticed it producing any fluid when it pops, though I'd guess it does. It's not uncomfortable, itchy, or painful in any way.

The bump is on my gums, back where my wisdom teeth would be if I hadn't had them removed, on the tongue side. I am not sure if it always appears in the same place, or if it moves around. The last couple of times I've noticed it, it's been in the same place.

I’m not sure how long I've been getting it for – it's just one of those things that appears and I don't think too much about it. I don't think I've ever had more than one at a time. I'm not sure how often it shows up; it's not particularly frequent but it's often enough for me to have noticed.

I'm not in the least worried about it. Should I be?

I kind of like it – it's like having my own private bubble wrap. But I'm really curious what it is.

Who put clorox in my food?

strangeguitars — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:41:48 -0800

What is causing this? Sometimes I get a strange burning feeling (for lack of a better expression; it's kind of an acid burn sort of sensation) on the roof of my mouth sometimes when I put the first bite of the day in my mouth. It especially seems strong with bread, but has also happened with orange juice, milk and other things that seem to have no relation to each other. It subsides after about 15 minutes. Does anyone know what this is, or have had similar experiences? It doesn't happen regularly, or even that often, but just now and then, and it's been happening for as long as I can remember (I'm in my early 40s). It doesn't seem threatening in any way, just annoying and puzzling, so I've never gone to a doctor about it. And now, I can't go to a doctor about it, because I live in China, and the doctors around here generally are not too knowledgeable, especially about strange things.

When I feel that sensation, the more I put in my mouth (other than water), the stronger the feeling gets, until it gradually subsides after the fifteen minutes are up.

What's the deal with these sores on my lips?

anazgnos — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:54:39 -0800

What's the deal with these sores on my lips? I've got these little sores/breakages in the mucous membrane on the surface of the tissue right inside the mouth, just on the inside of the lips. They're very minor, but persistent. I think I can rule out herpes, and they're nothing like canker sores, just the very topmost surface tissue is broken and kind of ragged. No bleeding to speak of. It's been ongoing about 5 days, and I've tried adjusting a few things (dietary/behavioural), but they still seem to be happening afresh. There's a small irritated patch on my lower lip, but the upper is worse - it started out in the middle, and has been spreading outward. It seems like it starts out as a sort of generalised blistering, to the tissue/membrane visibly being broken, to the area ending up sort of red and puffy. The middle of my upper lip is in the latter phase while there is some newish blistering toward the outer edge.

I wouldn't describe them even as painful so much as irritated. They don't bother me when eating or drinking particularly. It's just the persistence which concerns me.

I've been applying Hydrogen Peroxide with a q-tip for the past two mornings, and drinking a lot of water, which seems to soothe the irritation a bit.

Is this something specific that anyone recognizes? Something viral/bacterial I should see a doctor about? Are there foods/drinks I should definitely be avoiding, or anything I should be taking to promote mouth healing?

Help me identify this metal mouth-like object!

kpmcguire — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:28:03 -0800

Help me identify this mystery object. It looks sort of like a set of metallic false teeth, smaller than life-size, with a metal tube or something where the tongue should be. It's a long story, I won't get too detailed. I have my own blog, I know how to use it.

A got into a petty argument with a guy yesterday. During this argument he held up the mystery object. It was in a clamshell package, it looked like he had just bought it.

He was trying to make friendly with me, showing me how "cool" he was having just purchased this thing - but I don't really know. But I was really angry at him, so I didn't pay any attention to it.

But now I want to write about this ordeal on my blog, and I want to know what the object was.

Some clues:

For some reason, I assumed the object was marijuana-related. Perhaps some sort of novelty pipe? This is in part because there's a head shop right next to where the altercation took place. It could also be some bizarre sex toy, because the head shop also sells that kind of stuff. Or it could be completely unrelated. Who knows.

The guy was really drunk. I'm pretty sure he was at the Cubs game earlier. He's a huge, muscular guy, and if I were to take any guesses, I would say he was (at one time) in the military, I only mention this because it might help explain what he was showing to me.

Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks! A links to a product page would be ideal.

Tongue spasms. Horrible pain. Help!

wowbobwow — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:08:57 -0800

I regularly sprain my tongue. It happens often enough (and is painful enough) to make me curious about how and why this happens, and if it can be prevented. I have never met anyone else who experiences this. I have frequent episodes where it feels like my tongue spasms or is sprained. Pain is sudden and sharp, and it always on the left side, running from my ear down to my neck, and makes it impossible to speak. It makes my mouth and eyes water and pain lasts about five minutes after the spasm. One trigger is yawning, but the other day it happened when I was pulling a heavy book cart. Is this epilepsy, or a neuro problem? I am not low on potassium and don't get dehydrated, which I know can cause muscle sprains, generally. Can't find any info on the web. If I can't do anything about it I'd still like to know what is happening, because it's the weirdest thing.

Mouth ulcer treatments?

Jakey — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:52:32 -0800

Treatment for mouth ulcers. I've been using Bonjela since 1837, and it's only just now struck me that medical science must have come up with something better in recent years. So what do you find works well?

Help me explain what I call "cat mouth" to my boyfriend.

letahl — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:31:58 -0800

Help me explain what I call "cat mouth" to my boyfriend. When I had cats, if one of them walked in front of me while I was at the computer, and their hair softly brushed against the front of my face, the entire inside of my mouth would go all funny. It is like a cross between pins and needles and cotton mouth, but a very strong sensation. I call this sensation "cat mouth" per its origin.

I can also get it if something else brushes against my cheek or lips just very slightly, especially if it is fuzzy in texture. It is not a pleasant feeling at all, although its not painful.

Does anyone have any idea what causes this, or what it is? Am I the only person that gets this?

My dentist is expenive enough...

Solomon — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 07:11:48 -0800

I have a Sonicare HX7300 toothbrush, which is great. But the heads for it are so expensive, which isn't so great. I usually buy extra heads off ebay, but they're still very expensive. Is there either a] somewhere I can buy the heads from for less (preferably significantly less) than £12 each, or b] somewhere I can buy heads that will fit, but that aren't necessarily manufactured by Sonicare?

I'm in the UK, but I'm open to shopping online or in a physical shop.

Sublingual Grapefruit Seed Extract Incident

pranalaxmi — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:04:00 -0800

I used straight, undiluted Grapefruit Seed Extract under my tongue and now I have sublingual inflammation and a burning sensation on the tip of my tongue like I've sipped tea that is too hot. It all started when I was beginning to feel a potential cold coming on from a dry raspy throat thing. I've put B-12 and zince lozenges under my tongue before without issues. On this occasion, I squeezed a fair amount of GSE under my tongue and chugged some water. Then I had a zinc lozenge or two while watching the Series in my hotel room. I feel like an idiot, because right there on the bottle of the GSE it warns of direct contact irritation if applied to skin or mouth. This seems like an allergic reaction. So far I've heard things like: take a Benedryl and suck on some ice. I'm wondering if my symptoms will worsen or just go away. Advice?

Happiness is a warm puppy who's breath doesn't smell like ass.

miss lynnster — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:43:27 -0800

Bad dog breath... what helps? My dog has allergies and a sensitive stomach so I make a point to feed her dog food that's natural. Up until recently her breath has been absolutely lovely... although believe it or not, she also has always had a bit of a burping problem. It has always made me laugh more than anything, though. (She's a dainty little girl dog and always looks almost embarrassed when she burps. Hee!)

Anyhow, all of the sudden when she tries to lick my face I notice her breath is getting pretty stinky. And that's not quite so funny. She is 2 1/2 and has nice white teeth, so I don't think it's tooth decay. Because of her allergies it makes more sense to me that it might be diet... but I'm not sure what to do about it because I'm just glad I have found dog food she isn't allergic to. (When I first got her, she threw up the first three brands I tried.)

In the store, I see all sorts of green bones "for breath" and other stuff... Doggie mints, whatever. I don't know if any of them work. Is there anything natural that I could just add to her diet that would make her breath become better?

Ideas? Have you found anything simple and natural that might help my puppy's breath become fresh? 'Cuz otherwise she's not getting anywhere near my face, which is a bummer because she's freaking awesome.

As always, the obligatory photo of said stinky, dainty dog.

Is my dentist too crazy to treat me?

schroedinger — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:46:45 -0800

I have pretty severe TMJ for my age (early 20s) that has been getting worse. My dentist seems competent (I think), but also kind of . . . kooky. Could other AskMefites, especially TMJ sufferers, weigh in on him and his methods? I have had TMJ since my mid-teens when my braces came off. No grinding or headaches, but my jaw's out of alignment and I've had problems with locking, crunching, and popping that have been getting worse to the point where in the past few months I've gone through periods where it's been extremely difficult to eat or open my mouth because my jaw locks and it takes a good time to move things around enough to get it closed.

I went to my regular dental practice (very good, I love them) a month ago and was seen by a very new dentist who had joined after fifteen years of TMJ work at another practice. I was extremely heartened by this first visit--rather than telling me I'd "grow out of it" (when I certainly wasn't) or that there wasn't much beyond surgery he could do, he displayed a great knowledge of the causes of TMJ, ways to treat it, and basically made me feel like I was being treated by someone who actually knew what they were talking about and could help me. He even made a quick mock bite splint and after putting it in I felt muscles in my neck, jaw, back, and even down my arm relax that I hadn't even known were tight. He said he advocates "chirodontics"--basically treating the jaw as a joint and using chiropractic methods to help treat it. This makes sense, right? He said he couldn't do anything until he talked to the head practitioner of the practice but I should schedule a follow-up. The only thing that kind of set off alarm bells were when towards the end he started talking about "energy medicine" and "clearing out the toxins" and restoring my life energy. But I brushed it away and scheduled a follow-up because of the quality of the rest of the visit.

The second visit a month later got wackier. Much wackier. The entire visit he talked about the necessity of maintaining my energy flow and how toxins were building up in the bad jaw joint. He said he couldn't use the chirodontics because he hadn't convinced the head dentist, and creating a bite splint would be over $2000. He then said I could go to his trained-by-the-head-physician-of-the-Emperor-of-Japan mentor--with whom he'd had a huge falling out so I wasn't allowed to mention the dentist's name--and get a bite splint there. The splint would cost much less, but it would be followed by $300 "energy healing" treatments, herbal treatments, and adjustments. He warned me it would be a nightmare getting an appointment, I'd be spending hours in the waiting room on the day of each appointment, it wouldn't be covered by insurance, but after six sessions of $300 each (plus the bite splint) I'd feel like a million. He then sent me on his way, chalking up my recent tooth sensitivity of the past two weeks to the TMJ too rather than even looking at the possibility of cavities or anything else.

What the heck? Now what do I do? On the one hand, my new dentist seems like a wack job, in between the energy healing business and the sheer amount of drama that seems to be following him (the troubles with his mentor, the hot water he's in with the head of the new practice after only one month). On the other hand, he definitely seems to know what he's doing--that mock bite splint felt great and when he kept out of the energy healing explanations he seemed competent at diagnosing and treating TMJ. So I don't know if I should try to get the super-expensive splint from him, get the cheap splint from the mentor and not do the adjustments, or find someone less crazy. I know I need a splint, and I want to get one from the best to make it less likely to fuck up my bite even more, but I also am afraid to deal with a crazy person.

What has worked for you? Should I drop this guy and find someone else? Just go with the splint? This energy healing stuff is hoo-doo, right?

Face off

A189Nut — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:48:23 -0800

When I speak my mouth goes up on one side more than the other. It annoys me and I sense that I look as if I am sneering when I am not. Can I do exercises to train it not to?

Would a botox injection once in a while fix it!

Is this a mouth ulcer or something else?

talitha_kumi — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:48:23 -0800

What's wrong with my face? On waking this morning, there was a swelling of some kind in my lower lip, roughly level with my bottom right incisor. At first I thought it was an ulcer, but over the next few hours, it's grown, and it's now bigger than any ulcer I've had before. It's got a white domed centre, about quarter of an inch across, surrounded by a large patch of dark purple that looks a bit like a bruise. Twelve hours later, and the bruising has grown significantly in size and depth of colour, and is now showing through to a purple patch on the outside of my face. It's achy and uncomfortable, and intensely painful when I poke it. (I know - stop poking it)

What on earth is it? Will it go away on its own, or do I need a doctor?

What's up with my mouth?

thirteenkiller — Tue, 22 May 2007 08:03:06 -0800

Once in a while after mild to strenuous exercise, I can suck air through a little spot in the roof of my mouth (kinda just behind the "aveolar ridge"). There aren't any obvious holes up there. This happens fairly rarely. It's not particularly uncomfortable. What's going on here? Is this normal? Does this happen to anyone else? Please don't make fun. :(

Ashes in the mouth means? Comes from?

onegreeneye — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:28:49 -0800

Would someone tell me, please, the origin and meaning of the phrase "ashes in your mouth"? I've googled like mad and only come up with song lyrics.

Strange Jaw Problem

archagon — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:30:21 -0800

There's something wrong with my jaw: whenever I move it to the left or clench my teeth, I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. For the past week or so, my jaw has been behaving strangely. At first, it just ached every now and then, though enough to cause me trouble while eating. I ignored it, thinking that the pain would pass on its own.

A few days ago, the symptoms changed: not only does my jaw ache more often now, but sometimes (and especially when I move it sharply to the left or clench my teeth) I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. The sensation is extremely uncomfortable and doesn't seem to be going away.

What could be causing this?
Is there any chance that something vital - blood vessels, nerves, my brain - is being compressed?

What the hell is in my throat, please.

chichimimizu — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 02:40:23 -0800

So have this roughly round-shaped creamy white growth in the back of my throat in a sort of "alcove" right next to the hang-y thing whose name I can't remember. I can feel it, it's almost like I swallowed a hair or got popcorn husk trapped back there. There's This Post on "Steadyhealth.com" describes exactly what the bump looks and feels like. Small, off-white, slightly rough to the touch and very, very annoying. It's not painful and it doesn't produce any sensation beyond the "swallowed a hair" feeling. I tried to reach back there to scrape it out, but my gag reflex got the better of me. Any ideas what it could be? Is it cancer? That would suck.

Do I have a Mysterious Disease?

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:32:45 -0800

Do these symptoms add up to anything? Repeated sores/cracks at the corners of my mouth, night sweats, fatigue...and I am posting anonymously because there is more inside... The mouth sores are cracks right at the outside of my lip corners, not in the interiors. They come and go periodically. I also had an episode of a 'cut' of some sort on my tongue. And, I am embarrassed to say, I have occassionally something similar on my taint (girl taint). It almost seems like a tear from rough sex, but it's not that, and it hurts for 4-5 days and then slowly heals, just like the mouth things. The night sweats have been here for about 4 months, I thought it was Zoloft but I went off that to test and I am still getting them regularly. I also have been having very loose stools.

I realize that I should ask a doctor, but the last time I was there I complained about the night sweats. She said "huh, I don't know" and left it at that. So my question is, should I consider all of these things symptoms of a possibly serious illness and go through all the trouble of switching doctors, or just chalk it up to miscellaneous symptoms and try to get more or less fiber or something? In general I take good care of myself, I walk every day & eat lots of organic veggies.

Superhero Girlfriend's Kryptonite

kevin_2864212 — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:24:29 -0800

My girlfriend pretty much has a breakdown and freaks out whenever she hears someone swallow. It doesnt even have to be someone swallowing loudly or making gross noises (as I admit, that bothers me too). It seems sometimes, that just seeing someone eating or (especially) drinking something near her will make her have one of these episodes. Most mouth noises bother her a lot, but swallowing really pushes her over the edge.
She'll yell and hit herself and look entirely crazy to anyone who doesnt know whats going on.
She cannot function in social settings, as almost all activities in our society revolve around food and eating/drinking. She goes to family dinners with damp tissues stuffed in her ears and with me she uses her fingers to plug her ears and I have to show her the glass or chip or whatever, before I put it in my mouth.
This has obviously led to a lot of frustration for everyone. Her family is rather insensetive about it. My family doesnt know, nor do any of our friends so they just get confused at why she cant hold any conversation at dinners, and often needs people to repeat what they've said. She is frustrated because she cant live normally, and never feels calm, because at any minute someone could pop a mint into their mouth.
Oh ya, she HATES to talk about it. She gets really angry, and if anyone pushes it she breaksdown crying. I feel terrible and we go back to pretending it doesnt exist...
I think it might be that she has some sort of superhero senses or something. She has had SERIOUSLY bad vision since she was a young child. Her sense of smell is truly FANTASTIC (better than anyone I've ever seen at smelling things on clothing thats been washed, etc). Could she have adopted AMAZING smell receptors and CRIPPLING hearing from her years of not seeing much of anything in focus? She has glasses/lenses and sees fine now.
Please help us. This is one major stress issue that our relationship could definately do without, or do with better management.What I really want is to hear from someone who knows anyone with this problem, as she feels very alone, and that there is no hope for her. Any ideas or other advice is welcome.
Sorry this is such a long read. Thank You.

What are these bumps on the inside of my lips?

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 16:21:18 -0800

I have lots of little bumps of varying sizes on the inside of my lips. Maybe "lips" isn't the 100% correct term -- but they're scattered throughout the area between my lips (where lipstick goes) and my gums. Both top and bottom of my mouth. What are they? The larger ones appear whitish (they aren't raised bumps -- they're under my pink mouth flesh). Is it cancer? How long do I have, Doc? I think I've had these for years, and frequently nibble on them (absentmindedly). But a while ago my wife asked me what I was chewing on, and when I said, "the bumps in my mouth," she looked at me like I was crazy. It was then that I realized... not everyone has these. The horror.

Actually they do kind of drive me nuts. Now that I know other people have smooth inner lips, I'm jealous and mildly concerned.