Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Dry Mouth???

Old 09-07-22, 10:27 AM
  #1  
huskerbob
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Dry Mouth???

Does anyone have any tips for eliminating/avoiding dry mouth/cotton mouth while riding. I always carry water bottles but while it solves the problem, it's temporary and interrupts the ride and breaks momentum.

Any tips will be appreciated!

Thanks!!
huskerbob is offline  
Old 09-07-22, 11:07 AM
  #2  
Broctoon
Super-duper Genius
 
Broctoon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Muskrat Springs, Utah
Posts: 1,713
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 768 Post(s)
Liked 983 Times in 508 Posts
As far as I can tell, you will never really be able to avoid it when riding in hot weather. To reduce or minimize it, be sure you're doing the following:

- Start hydrating before your ride. Like, hours before.

- During the ride, drink before you feel thirsty. Taking frequent little sips is better than big guzzles at longer intervals.

- Electrolytes need to be replenished as well. This will not prevent cotton mouth, but it's related to the topic. I like Gatorade Zero (not the original, sugary formula). There are also powders you can mix into your water. My favorite of these is Skratch.
Broctoon is offline  
Likes For Broctoon:
Old 09-07-22, 11:10 AM
  #3  
Mojo31
-------
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Tejas
Posts: 12,616
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9519 Post(s)
Liked 6,264 Times in 3,453 Posts
Dry mouth is a sign that you need hydration. Don't wait to feel thirsty to drink. Learn to drink while riding.

And, breath through your nose and keep your mouth closed.
Mojo31 is offline  
Old 09-07-22, 11:12 AM
  #4  
Milton Keynes
Senior Member
 
Milton Keynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947

Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times in 936 Posts
Try putting some lemon juice in your water. But what everyone else said, drink before you feel thirsty, try not to breathe through your mouth.
Milton Keynes is offline  
Likes For Milton Keynes:
Old 09-07-22, 12:21 PM
  #5  
huskerbob
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanks to everyone who replied!!
huskerbob is offline  
Old 09-07-22, 01:07 PM
  #6  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,274

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1122 Post(s)
Liked 1,169 Times in 682 Posts
living in reno it gets hot here. yesterday's ride was 102. drinking before riding makes no difference (for me). i drink about 6 cups of tea (12 oz) while at work and it makes no difference. it is also hard to not breath through my mouth. the dry heat just dries me out pretty quickly. i sip often during rides.
spelger is offline  
Likes For spelger:
Old 09-07-22, 01:42 PM
  #7  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,065

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2512 Post(s)
Liked 5,421 Times in 2,824 Posts
Originally Posted by spelger
living in reno it gets hot here. yesterday's ride was 102. drinking before riding makes no difference (for me). i drink about 6 cups of tea (12 oz) while at work and it makes no difference. it is also hard to not breath through my mouth. the dry heat just dries me out pretty quickly. i sip often during rides.
Unless you are drinking decaffeinated or herbal teas, you may be doing yourself a disservice. From Healthfully…

“Kidneys maintain homeostasis in the bloodstream by regulating the balance between sodium and water in order to ensure bodily cells are likewise balanced. Caffeine hinders the resorption of sodium and water in the kidneys. Resorption refers to uptake into the bloodstream. Subsequently, the kidneys only have the option to withdraw water or sodium to maintain balance in the bloodstream and cells. Alternatively, caffeine prevents water depletion to the extent of causing dehydration, because caffeine is most often ingested in a liquid, such as coffee or soda, that contains water.”
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Likes For rsbob:
Old 09-07-22, 01:46 PM
  #8  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,065

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2512 Post(s)
Liked 5,421 Times in 2,824 Posts
Originally Posted by huskerbob
Does anyone have any tips for eliminating/avoiding dry mouth/cotton mouth while riding. I always carry water bottles but while it solves the problem, it's temporary and interrupts the ride and breaks momentum.

Any tips will be appreciated!

Thanks!!
I have a countdown timer on my computer, which is available on several watches which reminds me to drink every 15 minutes. You might want to look into something like that. As the others have said, staying hydrated is key. The golden rule is to drink before you are thirsty and eat before you are hungry. You may also want to try chewing gum to stimulate your salivary glands unless you are going so hard that you risk inhaling it.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Likes For rsbob:
Old 09-07-22, 02:44 PM
  #9  
delbiker1 
Mother Nature's Son
 
delbiker1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,111

Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,414 Times in 801 Posts
I have chronic dry mouth issues, rx's being part of the cause, bowel and prostate issues, also. I almost always have water on hand to sip on. When biking, I occasionally pop a small piece of gum or candy into my mouth for immediate relief. Tiny piece of sugarless gum works best for me. That, of course, is in addition to the water or fluid mixture I drink, close to a quart per hour.
delbiker1 is offline  
Likes For delbiker1:
Old 09-07-22, 04:54 PM
  #10  
GeezyRider 
Senior Member
 
GeezyRider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Delaware Sea Shore
Posts: 521

Bikes: There is always room for one more.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 179 Post(s)
Liked 366 Times in 215 Posts
A trick I learned in the Army when we were in the field was to put a pebble in my mouth until we could stop for water. It works very well to prevent dry mouth.
__________________
Don
GeezyRider is offline  
Likes For GeezyRider:
Old 09-07-22, 05:16 PM
  #11  
Inusuit
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: SE Wyoming
Posts: 607

Bikes: 1995 Specialized Rockhopper,1989 Specialized Rock Combo, 2013 Specialized Tarmac Elite

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 588 Times in 278 Posts
Chewing gum works for me.
Inusuit is offline  
Likes For Inusuit:
Old 09-07-22, 05:45 PM
  #12  
jon c. 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 4,812
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1591 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,015 Times in 570 Posts
I tend to have the problem more when it's cooler. Sucking on Shot Blocks works for me.
jon c. is offline  
Likes For jon c.:
Old 09-07-22, 06:57 PM
  #13  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,274

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1122 Post(s)
Liked 1,169 Times in 682 Posts
Originally Posted by rsbob
Unless you are drinking decaffeinated or herbal teas, you may be doing yourself a disservice. From Healthfully…

“Kidneys maintain homeostasis in the bloodstream by regulating the balance between sodium and water in order to ensure bodily cells are likewise balanced. Caffeine hinders the resorption of sodium and water in the kidneys. Resorption refers to uptake into the bloodstream. Subsequently, the kidneys only have the option to withdraw water or sodium to maintain balance in the bloodstream and cells. Alternatively, caffeine prevents water depletion to the extent of causing dehydration, because caffeine is most often ingested in a liquid, such as coffee or soda, that contains water.”
perhaps. but 11% humidity doesn't help either.
spelger is offline  
Likes For spelger:
Old 09-07-22, 07:08 PM
  #14  
mdarnton
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 309

Bikes: nothing to brag about

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 130 Post(s)
Liked 206 Times in 116 Posts
Breathe through your nose instead of your mouth.
mdarnton is offline  
Likes For mdarnton:
Old 09-07-22, 07:19 PM
  #15  
GhostRider62
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 4,083
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2332 Post(s)
Liked 2,094 Times in 1,311 Posts
Breath thru your nose, you'll make more power at least until the first ventilatory threshold, it has to do with vasodilation and not blowing off your CO2, you'll deliver more oxygen. I get nose bleeds in 11% hot desert conditions

And, make sure you are consistently hydrated before and after the ride. No chance to keep up hydration levels perfectly during the ride
GhostRider62 is offline  
Likes For GhostRider62:
Old 09-07-22, 07:24 PM
  #16  
Bogey Speedwell
Full Member
 
Bogey Speedwell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: SW WI
Posts: 215

Bikes: Cannondale Topstone, Trek Dual Sport, State Bicycle Klunker

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 85 Post(s)
Liked 127 Times in 67 Posts
Gum.

actually use to this a a lot in high school. I actually remember the wrestlers would use this to help shave weight. Not sure it really worked for that, but it did keep your mouth moist.
Bogey Speedwell is offline  
Likes For Bogey Speedwell:
Old 09-07-22, 08:32 PM
  #17  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,274

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1122 Post(s)
Liked 1,169 Times in 682 Posts
c'mon, riding a bike is my one chance to be a mouth breather.
spelger is offline  
Likes For spelger:
Old 09-07-22, 08:34 PM
  #18  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,274

Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4251 Post(s)
Liked 3,863 Times in 2,578 Posts
I like the Ricola Mixed Berry flavor personally great for sore throats and such but also good for dry mouth. A hard candy could also work but the Ricola seems slightly better for you-ish.

However yes hydrate properly and attempt to keep your mouth closed if you can. That will go a long way.
veganbikes is offline  
Likes For veganbikes:
Old 09-07-22, 10:31 PM
  #19  
alcjphil
Senior Member
 
alcjphil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 5,869
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1792 Post(s)
Liked 1,671 Times in 955 Posts
Originally Posted by huskerbob
Does anyone have any tips for eliminating/avoiding dry mouth/cotton mouth while riding. I always carry water bottles but while it solves the problem, it's temporary and interrupts the ride and breaks momentum.

Any tips will be appreciated!

Thanks!!
Learn to be able to drink while riding. The ride will not be interrupted or slowed down. If you can't manage a water bottle, buy a hydration pack

Last edited by alcjphil; 09-07-22 at 10:38 PM.
alcjphil is online now  
Likes For alcjphil:
Old 09-07-22, 11:56 PM
  #20  
urbanknight
Over the hill
 
urbanknight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,340

Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 987 Post(s)
Liked 1,186 Times in 681 Posts
Originally Posted by Broctoon
As far as I can tell, you will never really be able to avoid it when riding in hot weather. To reduce or minimize it, be sure you're doing the following:

- Start hydrating before your ride. Like, hours before.

- During the ride, drink before you feel thirsty. Taking frequent little sips is better than big guzzles at longer intervals.

- Electrolytes need to be replenished as well. This will not prevent cotton mouth, but it's related to the topic. I like Gatorade Zero (not the original, sugary formula). There are also powders you can mix into your water. My favorite of these is Skratch.
+1 I will actually have Gatorade or some sort of electrolyte drink before the ride so that it's easier to stay hydrated during the ride.


Originally Posted by alcjphil
Learn to be able to drink while riding. The ride will not be interrupted or slowed down. If you can't manage a water bottle, buy a hydration pack
I was about to suggest this. It's normal for newer riders to be uncomfortable riding while drinking, but that's exactly why the bottle cages are placed where they are. Start by leaving your valve open (unless you're on very bumpy terrain) and coasting while taking a drink on a straight section of road. Glance down for a fraction of a second to see where you're aiming for to put the bottle back, and keep a good grip on it until it's secure back in the cage. As you get more comfortable, you can try pedaling while doing it and not looking down as you get used to where to aim the bottle. It eventually gets to the point that you don't even break your rhythm.
__________________
It's like riding a bicycle
urbanknight is offline  
Likes For urbanknight:
Old 09-08-22, 05:38 AM
  #21  
noimagination
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 718
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 362 Post(s)
Liked 414 Times in 244 Posts
I don't know where you live, but the only times dry mouth bothers me is when humidity is low. When that happens I take more frequent, smaller in volume, drinks. (If you have chronic dry mouth, consult a Dr. or dentist, that can be a serious health issue.)

You should be able to drink from a cage mounted water bottle without interruption or break in momentum. If you can't, practice until you can. It's not like walking a high wire over the Grand Canyon, it's just reaching down, grabbing the bottle, taking a drink, putting it back, while pedaling. Most cyclists do it thousands of times a year. I try to take a drink every 10 min. during a ride.

As for breathing through your nose, as some are suggesting, that's just silly. Maybe up to aerobic zone efforts, depending, but when putting out any significant effort you'll be breathing through your mouth, your nose, and any other orifices you may have handy.
noimagination is offline  
Likes For noimagination:
Old 09-08-22, 12:03 PM
  #22  
Lambkin55
Junior Member
 
Lambkin55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cental Illinois
Posts: 104

Bikes: 1990 Schwinn Curcit is my main bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 43 Times in 33 Posts
Many of the common medications used by the "over 50" population will cause dry mouth.
Talk with you MD. Maybe you can switch the time of day you take the medication or switch the medication all together.
Lambkin55 is offline  
Likes For Lambkin55:
Old 09-08-22, 12:54 PM
  #23  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,520

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
raisins or Mike & Ike's?
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 09-08-22, 01:06 PM
  #24  
Milton Keynes
Senior Member
 
Milton Keynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947

Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times in 936 Posts
Originally Posted by Lambkin55
Many of the common medications used by the "over 50" population will cause dry mouth.
Seems like every single drug advertised on TV causes dry mouth.
Milton Keynes is offline  
Likes For Milton Keynes:
Old 09-08-22, 10:58 PM
  #25  
Bmach
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,082
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 439 Post(s)
Liked 263 Times in 161 Posts
As others have said nose breathing and gum. For me the gum works more than nose breathing but using my nose sure helps.
Bmach is offline  
Likes For Bmach:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.