Cannabis sativa is known by many names and is available in many states and countries for medicinal and recreational purposes. Although marijuana consumption can have many positive effects, some users also experience negative side effects. The most common side effect is “cottonmouth,” also known as Xerostomia or dry mouth. Here’s a detailed article outlining How to Overcome Cotton Mouth
Cottonmouth is characterized by a feeling of unquenchable hunger, a sore, dry throat, and a sticky, dry sensation that persists after drinking a lot of water. Cottonmouth does not only affect smokers. It can also occur if you vape, eat edibles, or smoke.
Smoking recreationally was the main method of consumption before cannabis became legalized. This led to the large selection of products available in dispensaries. Many believed that the thick smoke of burning cannabis was responsible for cottonmouth.
Cottonmouth was a common side effect for users who started vaping to quit smoking. Cottonmouth was also a side effect of capsules, oils, and gummies as they began to appear. Scientists began studying the issue when they first asked why cottonmouth occurs.
How to Overcome Cotton Mouth
Exploring various remedies, people often share personal experiences and tips on How to Overcome Cotton Mouth caused by dehydration or certain activities. The American Dental Association recommends that cannabis users visit their dentist regularly, chew sugarless gum, and brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Other health professionals suggest reducing the consumption of citrus-based food and alcohol-based mouthwash, breath sprays, and beverages. They can cause dry mouth. It is a good idea to buy sprays and gums from drugstores. They keep your mouth moist. Chewing gum helps to prevent the signals sent by the endocannabinoid systems that reduce saliva production.
Drinking water is another obvious cure for dry mouth, especially when you are consuming cannabis. Although it is tempting to drink a refreshing beer, wine, or other beverage that contains tannins, these beverages can cause the mouth to become even more dry. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. Fruit juices and some teas can also cause mouth dryness.
Dwight Blake, in an article by American Marijuana titled Cannabis & Cotton Mouth – Get Rid Of Marijuana Dry Mouth, provides additional remedies for dry mouth caused by marijuana.
1. Drink Water
Water can reduce the dryness of your mouth when consumed before or after cannabis. You may stay hydrated by using a straw.
2. Chew Gum
You salivate when you chew on food or snacks. You can reduce the symptoms of dryness by chewing gum or eating dried fruit or beef jerky.
3. Use Hard Candy
Suck or lick a hard candy. These foods stimulate salivation – the sourer flavors tend to be more effective.
4. Try Cough Medicines
Cough medicine, also called demulcents or humectants, helps reduce mouth drying by coating the mucus with a dewy layer.
5. Herbal Tea
Herbal teas, such as green tea, may help to reduce the feeling of dryness in the throat. Herbal teas are free of caffeine, which is a diuretic.
Researching the cannabis strains before purchasing them is another way to avoid cottonmouth symptoms. Some medical marijuana strains may cause dry mouth.
How Cotton Mouth Occurs
Cottonmouth is not the result of smoke drying your mucous tissues and throat. Scientists found that cotton mouth is caused by the interaction between cannabinoids in marijuana and the human endocannabinoid systems. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. This system is made up of cannabinoid receptors that are found in our bodies and brains. They become active when we consume cannabis.
There are over 80 cannabinoids found in marijuana. They bind to receptors in the brain called “endogenous Cannabinoid Receptor Sites” and cause a variety of brain processes. Some cannabinoids are responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana (the “high”), while others may cause anxiety, cottonmouth, or sleepiness.
The submandibular glands, located at the bottom of the mouth, produce nearly three-quarters of all our saliva. Certain cannabinoids attach themselves to brain areas that send signals to the parasympathetic system, which produces saliva. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. This causes a rapid decrease in saliva production, followed by a cottonmouth.
How To Counteract Cotton Mouth
We now know why this irritating side effect occurs. Drinking water may help but it is not always effective. It is still important for all users of medications to stay properly hydrated!
The use of marijuana products with less potent strains of THC is a less popular choice. It reduces the therapeutic benefits sought by medicinal users and makes the recreational user feel less “high.”
Dry mouth can be combated by sucking gum or eating candy. The honey and lemon in herbal tea can help soothe throat irritation. During a discussion about the effects of certain medications, someone asked for advice on How to Overcome Cotton Mouth, a common side effect.
Avoiding tobacco products is also important, as well as minimizing caffeine consumption. Both of these factors can exacerbate symptoms.
Is Cotton Mouth Dangerous to Health?
The Department of Periodontology of the Academic Centre of Dentistry, Amsterdam, has compiled a collection of research that suggests oral health concerns are increasing with the increased use of cannabis. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. When experiencing dryness in the mouth after cannabis consumption, individuals often search for tips on how to overcome a cotton mouth. Researchers stated that oral healthcare providers should be aware of the potential chronic side effects caused by dry mouth due to cannabis consumption.
These are the main ones:
- Leukoedema is “a white or whitish gray edematous lesion of the buccal mucosa and labial oral tissues.”
- Candida Albicans is a type of yeast that can be found in the microbes present on the skin, gastrointestinal tract (including the inside of the mouth), and other places. It is harmless at normal levels but becomes harmful when multiplied. The thrush is then known as Candida overgrowth.
- Periodontal Disease: An infection in the gums can cause bad-smelling gums or swollen gums. It may also cause bleeding gums or gums that are tender. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. Other symptoms include pain while chewing, tooth loss, sensitive teeth, and receding gingiva.
- Tooth Decay & Cavities
Saliva helps to lubricate the mouth so that it can taste, swallow and speak. Saliva protects the mouth and teeth against bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Low saliva levels can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, periodontal diseases, and tooth loss.
Other less serious side effects are thirst, hoarseness or sore throat, tingling sensation in the mouth, raw or red tongues, cracked lips, mouth ulcers, and skin splitting in the mouth. How to Overcome Cotton Mouth. Although marijuana isn’t the only medication that can cause xerostomia (hyposalivation), hyposalivation usually disappears when the patient stops taking the problematic medicine, like radiation treatment for cancer patients.
Those who use cannabis regularly and over a long period tend to be the ones who do it. Cotton mouth can be avoided by understanding how to cure or prevent it.
Conclusion
Patients should always research online about cannabis strains. It is possible to create a list of the effects of different strains of medical marijuana. A frequent query among those trying cannabis for the first time is, How to Overcome Cotton Mouth and alleviate the uncomfortable dry sensation in the mouth?” Cottonmouth can be treated with gum, but it may not be sufficient.
Details about strains can be found in online resources such as King Kind, Weedmaps Leafly AllBud, and others. Also, data (based upon user reviews) on common psychoactive effects and physiological effects. Included in this is dry mouth.