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#REDIRECT [[Xerostomia]]
'''Cotton mouth''' is a condition in which one's mouth is severely dried out - to the extent that it feels like you in fact have cotton in your mouth. The numbing sensation thereby caused can kill your sense of taste, causing "food to turn to ashes in your mouth." and may be an indication of potentially more serious health risks.
== Causes ==
The usual cause of cotton mouth is [[dehydration]]. Playing or exercising a long time outside on a hot day will often cause your saliva glands to simply dry up as your bodily fluids are concentrated elsewhere. Another common cause of cotton mouth is smoking. [[Marijuana]], for instance, acts as a particularly strong catalyst in drying out one's throat, mouth, and lips. Other causes include sugary liquids, certain medications, and emotional stress (stage fright, for instance).
It is a myth that milk causes cotton mouth - milk is a thick liquid, and may momentarily appear to "thicken" your saliva, but it does not cause cotton mouth.
== Remedies ==
The best way to prevent cotton mouth is to drink lots of water. This may seem fairly obvious, but people often severely underestimate the amount of [[water]] needed to avoid dehydration. The recommended amount per day is 64 ounces (1.89L) - which assumes no strenuous activity, such as exercise.
It is important in connection with cotton mouth to consider the frequency of drinks, rather than the quantity. Taking a sip of water every 10 minutes while exercising is better than drinking a tall glass before your one-hour jog. One should also remember that if you begin to feel the effects of cotton mouth, you are already dehydrated. Stop exercising immediately, drink some water, and rest for at least 15 minutes.
Another (obvious) cure is to move to a cooler area when you begin to feel cotton mouth. Exercising indoors has numerous advantages because of the temperature settings. Don't think you have to run your daily mile beneath the scorching [[July]] sun - exercising outdoors doesn't work your muscles any more than staying inside on a treadmill. Or, alternatively, you can wait until the sun has gone down (or get up before it rises!) to run at a cooler part of the day.
For anyone suffering from nervousness it is good advice to bite your tongue as biting the end of your tongue will give your saliva glands the impression you're about to start eating, and they'll supply you with a small but sufficient amount of saliva.
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