Karen, I'm up the river from you about 2 hours by ferry, having the same problem the last few days. Noticed the humidity was down to like 30%. For us folks used to the extremely humid weather in this area, dry mouth isn't the only problem. I'm up to about 3 litres of water a day trying to keep hydrated.

Bob

My husband drinks ice water which seems to help but he also drinks plenty of milk with ovaltine or chocolate syrup mixed in it. It seems to help coat the inside of his mouth, since he also suffers from dry mouth, mouth sores...you name it. But he also used the Biotene Oral Jel especially at night - which seems to help a great deal as well. We live in an apartment in Ohio and the winter here has been colder than usual this year, which means we have the heat cranked up pretty high. I hate to turn down the heat because he gets chills then, so maybe a humidifier is also the way to go.

I too find that the orajel helps me at night, at least for a few hours at a time. I just bought a humidifier and have been using it for a couple of nights and am not sure yet if it makes much difference. Houston is usually such a humid city, although the air conditioning by definition dehumidifies, but until this week we have had unusually cold and dry weather.

Danny G.

Yes milk with ovaltine or chocolate gives an overall moist feeling to the mouth. But we have the risk of damaging our teeth with sweet stuff. So alert your husband not to take too much of it or at least have a mouthwash after drinking the milk. Humidity in Hong Kong is very low these days and the chapped lips are very uncomfortable.When I swallow, the throat has a sore feeling because there is no saliva. It is especially acute if I am walking and have to sip water all the time to wet the throat. And the voice becomes more raspy. Strange that when I had a cold last week, my voice became very clear. Don't know if anyone here feel the same. Take care. Karen.

Karen,

I was really glad to hear you describe your throat and how it feels in cold weather and while walking. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with my throat. (I know - I meant besides the normal what's wrong with your throat)

I was in cold weather (-10 wind chill) last week and my throat was really painful. It still hurts a bit even in San Antonio weather, but last week was tough. Nice to know that it's not something new.

Take care,
Dinah

Hi Dinah:
I also have problems with cold weather affecting my throat and breathing. The weather here for the last month has mostly been below normal temps., not above freezing with a lot of single digit weather along with below zero wind chill. It makes my mouth dry and throat hurts to swallow and becomes raspy and soar and makes me feel like I would if I had asthma, when I breathe. The breathing part apparently is coming from the swelling from the radiation and the rad doctor advises not to worry it can take up to a year for the swelling to subside.

Mike D.

Diagnosed 06/2002, w/Laryngeal cancer, 1st stage

Hi Dinah, I don't know if it works on your throat to make it more comfortable or not. I have tested myself that during lunch hour if I went out for lunch, my throat had a sore feeling when I walked back to my school (about ten minutes) but if I was inside a car, there was no such feeling. Then I found out recently that after lunch I put a sugar free chewing gum inside my mouth with some drinking water and started chewing, the sore throat did not appear. I need not drink water all the time and the chewing gum can give me an hour of peace. Of course it gives me a sticky mouth too.But I think it is better than a sore throat.
Karen.

Thanks Mike & Karen,

It really is nice to hear from you both and know that this throat thing isn't a new symptom of something wrong.
Karen, unfortunately the gum and hard candies went out the window with the mouth full of partials. I'll just have to stick to water.

Thanks again guys,
Dinah