Dry Mouth?

[Russ Maynard]

When hiking, I always get dry mouth and have a hard time finding something to make it go away. hard candies make spit. chewing gum gives me a headache and I'm drowning in water. Amy Ideas? Am i the only one?

[Stephen M]

Could you be not properly hydrated before you start off, I try to drink as much water
as possible before a trip.

[Greg Mihalik]

Just when you are hiking, or around town as well?

Google it to see where you fall in the continuum.

[Rick Adams]

Sounds like a case of mouth breathing. Are you congested? If not, might just be a conditioning issue or simply hiking too fast.

[Russ Maynard]

I think its a combination of things. heaver breathing, dust from the trail, and adjustments to elevation. I'm constantly sipping water, I just thought someone else might have the same issue and have found some sort of remedy that could help.

[David Thomas]

I get that at times in places like the high Sierra or Grand Canyon that have low humidity and steep trails. Remembering to close my mouth and breath through my nose reclaims more water vapor from my breath. Even on a fast-paced uphill stretch, where I'm huffing and puffing, taking 2 of 5 breathes through my nose helps my mouth not get so dry.

[Billy Ray]

" dust from the trail"
don't hike close behind anybody… the lead person breaths less dust…

Billy

[Gary Tingey]

+1 for David

Breathing out of your mouth makes you lose a lot of moisture. You are breathing out more moisture than you can breath in. It's hard to switch breathing techniques, but try breathing only from your nose, or at least in from your mouth and out from your nose. You will also find you will need less water.

[Billy Ray]

You can also try just sipping enough water to wet your mouth without drinking much if any.

Or there may be something other than hard candy to suck on that doesn't make spit…

Personally, I can't take in enough air through my nose going up hill.

billy

[Bob Gross]

Russ, maybe you need some Chaw.

–B.G.–

[ed hyatt]

I've had this for about 6 years as I lost a lot of salivary gland function post radiotherapy.

There is not a whole lot you can do and Dave's suggestion is as good as any. There exist various synthetic saliva sprays and other products to help with moisture levels: they work a little but I found them too annoying to persevere with.

No consolation, but you get used to it.

[Russ Maynard]

I try to breath though my Nose as much as I can. But lets face it up hill climbs in the Sierras are a challenge for most. I don't get it, all the time. When I was a kid a Marine told me to find a small stream pepple and like chaw , cheek and gum , suck on it. I don't know if he was scamming me or what. But a while latter you think on it and try it . It does work, hope to God I never swallow it, this too will pass. I found at Sportmart a quench sports gum that works pretty good. You just have to swallow or keep it till next disposal site. Jolly ranchers do get the saliva working. Sips of water is the best with the first gulp a rinse and spit, then sip. Good info for thought

[Mark Ries]

+1 on the pebble it works for me

[Victor Jorgensen]

Candied ginger works well for me. I like the uncrystallized kind that they carry at Trader Joe's in 8 oz. bags.

[Gerry B.]

A few years ago I learned from Nimblewill Nomad and later from Cam Homan (both well-known long distance hikers) that they breathe in and out strictly through their nose.  I have since read that doing so can not only reduce your consumption of water but also can reduce asthma symptoms.  So I have learned to do so on all my hikes and it really makes a difference to me.  Not only have I reduced the volume of water I need to drink but during a four day hike last week in super smoky conditions in northern Washington, I did not have the breathing and sore throat issues that a couple of my hiking partners developed.  I am curious to determine how common (or not) nasal breathing is among the BPL community.

[Roger Caffin]

When hiking, I always get dry mouth and have a hard time finding something to make it go away.
You are breathing out warm air through your mouth – is it any wonder that the water in your mouth is being stripped away? But it is purely ‘local’ to the surface of your mouth: it is not any sort of dehydration.

As several other have suggested, shut your mouth and breathe through your nose. You will benefit all around – in the desert and in the snow as well as in ‘normal’ country.

Cheers

[Tom K]

“A few years ago I learned from Nimblewill Nomad and later from Cam Homan (both well-known long distance hikers) that they breathe in and out strictly through their nose……..I am curious to determine how common (or not) nasal breathing is among the BPL community.”

An emphatic +1.  Nose breathing removes particulates, warms and moisturizes the air being drawn in.  It requires that your nasal passages be clear, however, to do so effectively.  To optimize nasal breathing, learn to belly breathe by drawing your diaphragm down to increase intake volume.  If you have trouble maintaining pace on uphills, SLOW DOWN.  I think you will find this goes a long way toward resolving your dry mouth problem.  Pulling dry air in through the mouth is bound to dry it out, especially at higher elevations in arid mountains like the Sierra.  There was an earlier thread on the subject of proper breathing, in which an experienced running coach advocated mouth breathing, but his experience was primarily with competitive runners, which is a different situation entirely.  Few of us here are moving at a rapid pace or competing, where taking in the maximum amount of air per breath is critical to shaving seconds, or less, off a race time.

[Anonymous]

Haven’t noticed any issues breathing in through the nose and breathing out the mouth myself, but the rare times that I’ve been overly congested and breathed primarily in and out via the mouth–definitely have noticed a difference.

I would imagine that in more extreme conditions, highly arid or Arctic type cold, that breathing both in and out through the nose would be a better idea, but probably not necessary for the average or temperate conditions.

I got into Eastern philosophy and meditation at a young age and much of that pretty much drilled into my head: conscious, deep, and in through the nose breathing.  Besides the above benefits listed by others, it also helps a lot with general calmness/equanimity.

I use to work with a student that could be very violent and suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, attack you, biting, scratching, etc. Most of my co-workers were scared of him, and always on guard.  Because of high degree of calmness, which I partially credit with the above practices, my supervisor tended to put me with him. People seemed amazed that sometimes I would sit on the couch, then he would sit next to me, lay his head on my shoulder.  Amazed at my calm/lack of fear and that he would show something akin to physical affection (generally he walked around listless like a zombie). And generally, I rarely got attacked by him.

Again, partial, but definite credit goes to a conscious, deeper, and breathing in at least, from the nose, near life long habit which has increased general calmness/equanimity levels.

[Erica R]

I carry a very small container of vinegar so when I run out of water, I can sip it. Clears out your mouth like crazy. Makes the thirst go away. You may need to dilute it with water, it’s pretty strong stuff.

[Roger Caffin]

Very dilute lemon juice is also good for that – genuine lemon juice that is, not any of those so-called ‘sports drinks’ which are 50% sugar.

Cheers

[Tom K]

“Haven’t noticed any issues breathing in through the nose and breathing out the mouth myself”

That is because the exhaled air is warm and contains moisture.  Very different from breathing in cooler, dry air with particulates.  I also exhale through the mouth most of the time.  It is a faster way to get rid of the air.

[Roger Caffin]

Tom is right until you get into snow country. Then you find your nose getting very cold, unless you use the exhaled air to warm it back up again.
And you thought ‘walking’ was simple? :)

Cheers

[Tom K]

Good point, Roger.  Duly noted.

[Anonymous]

My favorite times to go out is during rare “polar vortexes” that even the northern’ish part of the south east of the US occasionally gets (favorite mostly because usually there is the least amount of people out then).  Occasionally dips down a bit below 0*F.

When out in those kind of conditions, I usually am wearing a balaclava of some kind–at the minimum a buff.  I still primarily breathe in through nose and out through mouth then. The balaclava or buff helps to warm and moisten the air.

The coldest conditions I’ve been exposed to were around -20*F, but that wasn’t backpacking, but walking around Quebec City in Quebec (visiting a friend we had made on the Camino en Espana) for a good portion of the day during winter. Used similar approach to good effect.

 

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