Noticing White Stuff Around Your Mouth During Exercise? You May Be Dehydrated

If you’ve ever experienced thick, stringy saliva that leaves a sticky white residue around your mouth while working out, dehydration or dry mouth may be to blame. Fortunately, both are common occurrences and can be managed easily with intentional fluid and electrolyte intake, oral rinse products, or medication adjustments with the help of your healthcare provider.

White Around Mouth and Dehydration

It's not unusual to become mildly dehydrated during exercise because you naturally lose water through sweat, especially if you partake in more vigorous activity or if you work out in hot environments, according to Cleveland Clinic.

You may think feeling thirsty is the best indicator of dehydration, but that's not necessarily the case. Symptoms of dehydration also include dry mouth (with sticky saliva settling around your mouth), headache, constipation, and lightheadedness.

When assessing dehydration, it’s also important to pay attention to the color and quantity of your urine, according to Mayo Clinic. If it’s dark yellow and you’re urinating less frequently, it's likely that you’re dehydrated even if you don’t feel thirsty.

Tips for Staying Hydrated

Fortunately, mild and moderate dehydration can typically be remedied with increased fluid intake, according to Cleveland Clinic.

If you plan on partaking in more intense exercise, according to Mayo Clinic, you should increase your fluid intake up to one day before your planned workout session, as well as drink fluids regularly during the activity and include fluids in your postworkout recovery plan. If you’re producing lots of clear urine, that’s a good sign you’re well hydrated.

Water is highly effective at replacing fluid lost through perspiration. However, it doesn't contain vital electrolytes, such as potassium, calcium, and sodium, that can become depleted with very strenuous exercise or prolonged workouts. A sports drink with electrolytes might be appropriate under these conditions, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Another way you can prevent dehydration and avoid the associated sticky saliva around your mouth when you exercise is to steer clear of caffeine and alcohol consumption, according to Cleveland Clinic. Both of these substances tend to increase urination frequency, removing more fluids from the body more quickly and promoting dehydration.

White Around Mouth and Dry Mouth

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, occurs when your salivary glands don't produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist and protect it from harmful bacteria. One of the most common symptoms of dry mouth is sticky saliva, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dry mouth is usually caused by a reaction to certain medications, such as those used for depression, high blood pressure, colds and allergies, and pain relief, according to Mayo Clinic. A number of health conditions, alcohol and tobacco use, and breathing through your mouth (as you likely do when exercising more intensely) can lead to dry mouth as well.

If you breathe through your mouth when working out, you may find that your dry mouth symptoms worsen during exercise, including the collection of thick saliva around the corners of your mouth. To help prevent dry mouth during exercise, you should sip water frequently or suck on sugar-free candy to increase saliva production, according to Cleveland Clinic. Chewing sugar-free gum can help as well.