Dry mouth while reading. What to do?

Didier · Post by **Didier** » September 5th, 2008, 3:43 pm

Hi everybody!

The question I’d like to ask has probably been already answered in another thread—and I must confess that I haven’t checked all the threads in this forum. But I dare ask it:

I usually drink water when reading. But I still have the feeling this is not the right thing to do. My mouth keeps being a bit dry, and after a while my belly begins to sing while I am reading—too much water, probably. (When I was a kid, my grandfather used to say that too much water would produced frogs in the belly. And only recently I understood what he really meant.)

Does anyone here have a good advice on how to avoid a dry mouth while reading?

Thank you in advance.
Didier

kristin · Post by **kristin** » September 5th, 2008, 3:54 pm

When I'm feeling very dry and water isn't helping I'll have a little apple juice and that seems to help or a bite or two of an apple. Another option is to find a cough drop (like Ricola) that isn't all sugar (the sugar will just make you gummy) but don't have it all at once, just a little then put it back in the paper and repeat as you start feeling dry.

Post by **aradlaw** » September 5th, 2008, 5:01 pm

I find that a lip balm sometimes helps, and ditto on the Ricola throat thingees.

Great Plains · Post by **Great Plains** » September 6th, 2008, 10:26 am

Make sure you're properly hydrated. It can take hours from the time you drink for the water to rehydrate you properly. So plan ahead.

Apples help me. I like tootsie roll pops, too.

sjmarky · Post by **sjmarky** » September 6th, 2008, 3:51 pm

I'd second what Kristin says, plus avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages before recording, as well as milk and other dairy, and chocolate. I have many bags of sugar-free Ricolas. A break every half-hour and one of those does the trick.

Post by **aradlaw** » September 6th, 2008, 5:56 pm

What!!! .... no chocolate

Didier · Post by **Didier** » September 6th, 2008, 5:56 pm

Kristin: I tried the cough drop today, and it worked. I forgot to buy apples but I had a nectarine, and it seemed to be fine--maybe a little bit too juicy, though.
aradlaw: I haven't tested the lip balm yet, but I will.
Great Plains: a planned hydration is of course a vital point. I have to be more aware of it.
sjmarky: argh... I rarely drink coffee but a lot of black tea.

Thank you again to all of you for your good advices. I not only know that I did something wrong, I know now what it was.

sjmarky · Post by **sjmarky** » September 6th, 2008, 6:00 pm

aradlaw wrote:What!!! .... no chocolate

After recording, of course!

sjmarky · Post by **sjmarky** » September 6th, 2008, 6:08 pm

Apples and apple juice supposedly match your mouth's PH mostly closely, providing hydration without drooling, but if other fruits or juices work for you go for it. I lean towards something a little tarter, like cranberry.

Switch to juice at least a half hour before recording, or non-caffeinated herbal tea. Lemon or mint are popular. You don't realize how much caffeine dries you out until you read for a little while, and then it seems like it's too late and juice doesn't help.

kristin · Post by **kristin** » September 6th, 2008, 8:45 pm

Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.

Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.

Didier · Post by **Didier** » September 7th, 2008, 3:00 am

kristin wrote:Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.

I will! Recording for LibriVox isn't just recording, I reckon

Great Plains · Post by **Great Plains** » September 7th, 2008, 6:40 am

Didier wrote:
kristin wrote:Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.
I will! Recording for LibriVox isn't just recording, I reckon

Haha. Yeah.

LibriVox is a Lifestyle.

sjmarky · Post by **sjmarky** » September 7th, 2008, 7:34 am

kristin wrote:Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.

I have the same problem with a double-shot mocha cappuccino with whip and sprinkles - two of those and I'm on narrator IR.

puffin1 · Post by **puffin1** » September 7th, 2008, 1:56 pm

sjmarky wrote:
kristin wrote:Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.
I have the same problem with a double-shot mocha cappuccino with whip and sprinkles - two of those and I'm on narrator IR.

Yup. All that, and a half bottle of hearty Zinfandel, and I definitely have to wait till the next day.