Home Remedies for Sticky Saliva
If you're dealing with sticky or thick saliva, what remedies are there? First, it's a good idea to speak to your doctor or dental professional to determine the cause, especially if it's an ongoing problem and you're unsure why it's occurring.
In combination with speaking to a medical professional, there are a few things you can try at home to thin your saliva.
- Taking small bites, chewing your food well, and sipping liquids with meals to moisten the foods and assist with swallowing.
- Frequently drinking cold water.
- Suck on ice chips and hard candies, and chew sugarless gum.
- Use a cool-mist humidifier to moisten room air.
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, hot, spicy, or acidic foods, chewy candies, tough meats, pretzels and chips, and hard raw fruits or vegetables.
- Avoid store-bought mouthwashes containing alcohol.
- Macmillan Cancer Support recommends leaning over a steaming bowl of hot water with a towel over your head to loosen thick saliva.
- The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority also recommends trying very sour or very sweet foods and beverages such as lemonade or cranberry juice to thin out thick saliva.
If your thick saliva persists despite these at-home remedies, your doctor or dental professional can recommend the next steps to help you feel more comfortable. If your saliva is feeling thicker than normal—don’t worry! There are treatments readily available so that you can get back to having a healthy, moisturized mouth and a confident smile.