Why there is a knitting sensation in the mouth: causes, symptoms and treatment features

Quite often you can hear complaints about a feeling of viscosity in the mouth.

This condition is often accompanied by the following symptoms:

• formation of cracks on the lips;
• roughness of the tongue (at the same time it becomes red);
• hoarseness of voice after waking up;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• difficulty swallowing food;
• thirst, feeling of dry mouth and throat.

To eliminate the discomfort once and for all, you must find out why your mouth feels sticky.

Constant viscosity

If viscosity in the mouth arose a long time ago and does not disappear for a long time, then it may indicate that a person has the following diseases or pathological conditions:

• HIV AIDS;
• impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus;
• cystic fibrosis;
• Hodgkin's disease (oncological process occurring in the lymphatic system);
• parkinsonism;
• chronic lack of iron in the blood caused by poor diet or diseases of the digestive system;
• high blood pressure;
• diarrhea;
• hormonal fluctuations (this is why pregnant women often complain that they have a sticky mouth);
• breathing problems (occurs in patients who snore or constantly breathe through their mouth);
• weakening of the muscle strength of the palate;
• inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity;
• age-related changes (with aging, the amount of saliva produced sharply decreases);
• damage to nerve fibers located in the neck and head.

In more rare cases, the cause of persistent viscosity is previous surgery to remove the salivary glands or severe head trauma.

Why does my tongue tie in my mouth?

There are several reasons that cause the feeling of an astringent tongue. According to the duration and nature of the course:

• Short-term or temporary;
• Long lasting;
• Caused by taking medications or eating food, such as persimmons.

Most often, the manifestation of viscosity in the mouth occurs as a temporary phenomenon and occurs as a result of:

• Drying of the oral mucosa by hookah or cigarette smoke;
• Strong toxic effects of poisonous or narcotic drugs;
• During the course of treatment with radiation or chemical therapy;
• Non-stop physical activity at an intense pace;
• Reduced indoor air humidity or elevated temperature;
• Runny nose;
• Eating too salty foods.

Medicines that can cause viscosity in the mouth:

• Antifungal medications in tablet form;
• Antiallergenic and antihistamine drugs;
• Analgesics;
• Laxatives;
• Antidepressants;
• Anti-anxiety drugs – anxiolytics;
• Some of the dietary supplements for weight loss.

If the patient notices these symptoms during the ongoing course of treatment, the specialist will recommend understanding the composition and properties of the medications taken, and whether the instructions contain a description of this side effect.

Mouth viscosity caused by persimmon consumption

The usefulness and rich, rich taste of persimmon is inherent in this fruit due to the content of a huge amount of microelements and vitamins.
Sometimes they don't taste as good as they look on store shelves. The fruit lacks sweetness, and the mouth feels as if something is stuck right on the tongue.

In addition to its beneficial qualities, unripe persimmons contain tannin or, as this substance is also called, tannic acid. Tannin can easily form chemical bonds with natural polysaccharides, causing a tanning effect.

Many plants contain tannic acid in inedible parts, such as bark or leaves. This provides the tree or shrub with protection from the harmful effects of living organisms, including insects and animals. In small concentrations, this substance is used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, but it should not be abused. A soothing effect of tannin is often observed.

If a person has recently undergone surgery in the abdominal cavity, he should be extremely careful with the use of tannic acid.

Changing the taste of persimmon from tart to sweet is done by freezing the fruit for a couple of hours. Keeping persimmons in a bag surrounded by apples will help with this. Drying or heat treatment removes the astringency even from sloe berries.

Bad habits

The appearance of an astringent sensation in people who abuse alcohol and tobacco products is observed much more often. This effect is caused by certain properties of alcohol and cigarettes.

Smoke contains toxic substances that, when they come into contact with the mucous membrane, irritate it. The temperature of the smoke is higher than that of the body and the environment, which further damages the epithelium in the mouth.

Alcohol has a different effect, but the principles are the same as tobacco. First, in the oral cavity, ethyl compounds burn the delicate cells of the mucous membrane, and over time until the morning, the drink leads to dehydration of the entire body. Then the effect of dry mouth appears. A coating forms on the tongue and bad breath appears.

A person who smokes is more likely to develop leukoplakia (cell division and death without removing them from the surface of the organ). Tobacco smoke kills these cells on the tongue, but it can also affect the epithelium of the entire respiratory system. This disease occurs mainly in people over 30-40 years of age.

Poor nutrition

A common cause of an astringent sensation in the mouth is improper and inadequate nutrition. Here are some foods that can cause a sticky feeling:

1. Sweets provide the most favorable environment for bacteria to reproduce. This provokes their rapid division at the tip of the tongue, throughout the entire organ and on the mucous membrane as a whole. If you clean your tongue or rinse, the plaque is easily removed.
2. Fermented milk products, such as cheeses, yoghurts, kefir and cottage cheese, provoke the appearance of a white coating and an astringent sensation in the mouth.

The presence of problems with the gastrointestinal tract and unhealthy foods in the diet leads to the appearance of a bacterial layer on the mucous membranes of the mouth.

Need to exclude:

• Food from fast foods and snack bars;
• Products based on artificial additives;
• Carbonated drinks;
• Alcohol in any form;
• White bread and pastries of all types;
• Chocolate products, sweets;
• Canned food;
• Spicy, fried and smoked sausage, other meat and fish products.

Prolonged exposure to the sun

One of the reasons for the feeling of viscosity in the mouth is considered to be an imbalance in the body’s water balance towards dehydration. Thus, the salivary glands do not produce secretions in sufficient quantities.

At first, this condition causes an unpleasant sensation of dry mouth and difficulty swallowing. This phenomenon is typical for rooms in which electrical appliances are used for heating. Then, in addition to reducing the humidity of the surrounding air, the impossibility of constant circulation and increased temperature, an unfavorable microclimate is created.

In addition, in extreme heat, in open areas on the street, a similar sensation appears. The body can quickly lose a lot of moisture and will first stop supplying it to the salivary glands.

Exhaustive physical activity

In the process of sports activities, the main thing is to maintain moderation of loads and their intensity.
Failure to comply puts the body into a state of overstrain, creating a deficiency of fluid in the tissues. When combined with strength or strenuous exercise, dehydration in an athlete causes a temporary sensation of astringency on the tongue.

Unlike the situation with the loss of moisture in the body as a result of overheating in the sun, it will not be possible to restore normal salivation instantly.

The body must first come to a calm state, providing all cells with fluid. Then only the feeling of dryness and thirst will stop.

Chronic diseases as causes of astringent tongue

A constant feeling of viscosity in the mouth may indicate the presence of a certain disease in the body. It can be:

• Damage to the cervical and head nerve fibers;
• Aging as a natural process;
• Inflammatory diseases in the mouth;
• Weakening of the palatine muscles;
• Patients who breathe frequently through the mouth or snore have breathing problems;
• Changes in hormonal levels in pregnant women and other patients;
• Diarrhea;
• Increased blood pressure;
• Chronic iron deficiency in the body, provoked by diseases of the digestive organs or malnutrition;
• Parkinsonism;
• Oncological disease of the lymphatic system, or Hodgkin's disease;
• Cystic fibrosis;
• Diabetes mellitus with impaired glucose tolerance;
• HIV AIDS.

More rare cases that can cause astringent sensations in the oral cavity are severe head trauma or surgery to remove the salivary glands.

Temporary viscosity

As for the situation when a patient periodically has a sticky mouth, the reasons for this may be the following:

• eating salty foods;
• presence of a runny nose;
• too high temperature in the house and/or low humidity;
• long and intense sports training;
• smoking cigarettes or hookah (smoke dries out the mucous membranes).

In addition, discomfort may appear if the person consumed narcotic or toxic substances the day before. This symptom indicates severe intoxication of the body. For the same reason, viscosity develops during a course of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Types of viscosity

There is morning, constant, temporary dry mouth. The first is usually associated with drinking alcohol the day before (hangover) or nasal congestion. Constant viscosity indicates hormonal transformations in the body (for example, during menopause in women), is a consequence of smoking, eating a large amount of salty foods, or natural age-related changes. Short-term astringency is the result of increased dry air, increased physical activity, or prolonged use of certain groups of medications.

Viscosity due to drugs

Sometimes there is a sticky feeling in the mouth while taking certain medications.

The most often unpleasant symptoms are provoked by medications of the following groups:

• anxiolytics (anti-anxiety);
• antidepressants;
• laxatives;
• analgesics;
• antihistamines (against allergies);
• antifungal tablets.

It is worth saying that some dietary supplements for weight loss also cause a feeling of viscosity in the mouth. If discomfort develops during treatment of any disease, the patient is advised to carefully study the instructions for the drug. If it has such an effect, it will definitely be written about.

Prevention

If the feeling of a sticky mouth is not associated with pathological processes in the body, following simple rules will help prevent the recurrence of discomfort. So, you should drink more water, monitor the temperature and humidity in the living (working) room, and ventilate it more often.

It is mandatory to visit the dentist at least once a year and undergo appropriate treatment. As you can see, the feeling of viscosity on the oral mucosa is just a signal notifying about various malfunctions in the body. Timely identification of the causes of this pathological phenomenon and appropriate treatment will help to avoid more serious health problems.

Viscosity after eating persimmon

Persimmon contains a huge amount of vitamins and microelements, making it not only tasty, but also extremely healthy.

However, sometimes, after coming home from the store and tasting the purchased fruits, the buyer is disappointed. The persimmon turns out to be absolutely not sweet, there is an unpleasant sensation - it sticks in the mouth. It has this property due to its high tannin content. It is also often called tannic acid. It forms various chemical bonds with polysaccharides of natural origin, resulting in a tanning effect.

Tannin, which is contained not only in the fruits, but also in the leaves, as well as the bark of the plant, protects them from being eaten by various animals.

It is worth noting that tannic acid in small dosages does not harm the body. Moreover, it has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs and calms the nervous system.

Patients who have recently undergone surgery on the abdominal organs should be careful in this case.

If a person does not like tart persimmons, then he can easily change its properties by putting the fruits in the freezer for several hours. Also, if desired, they can be placed in the same bag with apples. The latter produce ethylene, a substance that accelerates the ripening process of persimmons.

You can also get rid of astringency by heat treating the fruits or drying them. The same rules apply to sloe berries.

Metallic taste

The following factors can cause a metallic taste in the mouth:

1. Drinking mineral waters saturated with iron ions.
2. Drinking tap water when it passes through rusty pipes or a faucet that is rusty on the inside, causing it to become saturated with iron.
3. A metallic taste in the mouth after receiving new dentures or implants may occur when a person eats acidic foods (or drinks sour drinks). In this case, the taste will be due to the reaction between the metal and the food acid. If there were already dentures before, and the person installed additional ones made of a different metal, then the unpleasant iron taste will be due to the reaction between the two metals. In this case, you can even feel a slight electrification of the prostheses: with the participation of saliva, an electric current has arisen between them.
4. Cooking foods rich in acids in aluminum or cast iron can also cause a metallic taste in the mouth. It is caused by the final substances that are formed as a result of the reaction between the metal and the acid.
5. Tongue or (less commonly) lip piercing. In this case, the metal of the earring may react both with food/drinks that contain acids and with crowns, braces or implants made of other metals.
6. Poor oral hygiene results in plaque or tartar formation on the tongue or teeth.
7. Constant contact of massive metal jewelry, watches or bracelets with the skin.

Please note: the causes of a metallic taste in the mouth can be inflammation of the gums, caries or pulpitis that occurs under the crowns. This process will not be accompanied by pain: before installing such prostheses, the nerve is removed.

Table 1. Combination of flavors and their possible causes

Diagnosis of causes

If a patient has a sticky mouth, the symptoms that accompany this condition must be taken into account.

So, if discomfort is accompanied by weakness and nausea (which can result in vomiting), it means that he has a stomach pathology (usually gastritis). If all this is accompanied by a high temperature, the patient has probably “caught” a viral or bacterial infection.

Viscosity in the mouth combined with a bitter taste and pain in the side on the right side indicates the presence of gallstones.

Sometimes discomfort is accompanied by the presence of a metallic taste in the mouth. This indicates gum disease.

In addition, if the patient has a sticky mouth, the reasons for this can be identified by

• examination of the oral cavity;
• general blood and urine analysis;
• hormonal research;
• blood tests for vitamins and minerals;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
• endoscopic examination of the stomach;
• MRI of the head and neck;
• analysis for infections;
• analysis for tumor markers, etc.

In addition, during diagnosis, it is imperative to measure the patient’s blood pressure.

Solution

Treatment is selected by a specialist based on the results of the examination and depends on the reason for the discomfort. If treatment measures are not taken in a timely manner, a lack of saliva will lead to an increased risk of developing various dental diseases.

In addition, a malfunction of the salivary glands will certainly affect local immunity (the protective functions of the oral mucosa). So, subsequently, patients may encounter the following problems: candidiasis, sore throat, stomatitis, inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.

Surgery to remove salivary glands subsequently leads to dry mouth

In this regard, if for unknown reasons you begin to feel a knot in your mouth and such sensations persist for a long time, you should seek medical help from a therapist. If necessary, the doctor will refer you for consultation to a more specialized specialist - a dentist, gastroenterologist, neurologist.

Consequences

Treatment in this case consists of eliminating the underlying pathology that causes the mouth to stick.

If this is not done, insufficient saliva will increase the risk of oral diseases. In addition, a malfunction of the salivary glands will sooner or later negatively affect the protective functions of the mucous membranes. The result of this can be candidiasis, stomatitis, sore throat, caries and many other diseases.

Also, do not forget that the underlying disease is getting worse every day. That is why it is so important not to delay time, but to go to the doctor. In this case, go to a therapist, and he, in turn, will refer you to another, more specialized specialist. As a rule, see a neurologist, gastroenterologist or dentist.

Associated symptoms

Often dry mouth and sticky tongue are not the main disease or its symptoms.

As accompanying symptoms with these phenomena, the following occur:

• Increased sweating;
• Thirst;
• Cracked lips and dryness.

The appearance of these signs does not mean the presence of a dangerous or serious disease.

If the patient is aware of his illness, he may notice more specific symptoms:

• Viscosity in the oral cavity is caused by a deficiency of vitamin A, which is accompanied by various problems with the skin, conjunctivitis, severe brittleness and dryness of hair, peeling and pale skin;
• Iron deficiency anemia provokes, in addition to dry mouth, dizziness more often than usual, tinnitus, fatigue, and severe weakness;
• Patients with diabetes suffer from polyuria and rapid weight loss.

Pathological causes of taste

In dentistry, there are several main factors that cause dry mouth, soreness, burning of the tongue and discomfort in the oral cavity:

1. Xerotomia. The symptom complex of xerotomy is expressed not only by dryness and burning in the tongue, but also by a disturbance in the secretion of the salivary glands. On examination, cracks ranging from barely noticeable to pronounced deep are noted on the surface of the tongue.
2. The burning sensation intensifies to the point of pain when the patient eats acidic foods, fresh fruits, carbonated or sour drinks. The etiology of xerotomia is often caused by dehydration due to intoxication, Sjögren's disease.
3. Candidiasis. Fungal infection of the oral cavity is always accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the form of itching, burning, pain in the areas of fungal rashes.
4. Candida fungus exists in all people, but under certain factors it turns into a pathogenic agent, causing diseases.
5. Clinically, with candidiasis, the tongue is coated with a white, often dry coating, and the tongue area itself turns a rich bloody color. Along with itching and burning, patients experience severe pain on the tip of the tongue.
6. Allergic reactions. Allergies and inflammation are often the body's reaction to foreign bodies in the oral cavity. Thus, when installing braces, during prosthetics or osseointegration, as well as when wearing removable orthodontic structures, irritation may occur.
7. Despite the hypoallergenic nature of modern materials, the likelihood of allergies, rejection and other unpleasant consequences of prosthetics is quite likely.
8. Deposits on tooth enamel. Insufficient care or lack of oral hygiene leads to the formation of stones on the inner surface of the tooth.
9. Hard plaque contains huge colonies of pathogenic microorganisms that release toxic components.
10. Microbes provoke the development of inflammatory foci in the oral cavity, leading to chronic glossalgia. The condition is easily eliminated by hygienic teeth cleaning at the dentist.
11. Epithelial leukoplakia. When the mechanisms of desquamation of epithelial structures at the cellular level are disrupted, as well as disruption of regenerative processes, it leads to the formation of white plaques on the cheeks, on the surface of the palate and tongue.
12. Often the course of the disease is latent with temporary episodes of exacerbation. Leukoplakia occurs more often in smokers, becoming a sign of a precancerous condition.
13. Herpetic rashes. Herpes is an infectious disease of a viral nature. Once an episode occurs, it almost always leads to chronicity of the pathological process.
14. The appearance of blisters on the mucous membranes of the throat indicates an exacerbation of the disease and requires immediate use of antiviral drugs. As the patient recovers, the blisters transform into small erosive lesions.

Almost all diseases of the oral cavity of any origin can cause glossalgia. This is due to the huge number of nerve roots and receptors in the tongue and sublingual cavity, including multiple capillary weaves.

Table 2. Other examples of unpleasant sensations in the mouth

How to get rid of astringent sensations in the oral cavity?

Since xerostomia is a symptom and not a separate disease, you can completely get rid of it only by eliminating the disease that it accompanies or mitigating its manifestations. Since, however, this feeling in itself is very unpleasant, there are many ways to reduce it:

• The first thing to do is increase your fluid intake. It is best to replenish the lack of moisture in the body with water, but other unsweetened non-carbonated drinks, such as tea, are also suitable;
• It is also advisable to increase the humidity in the room. This can be achieved by placing a container of water or several pots of plants in the room;
• reducing the amount of salt in the diet promotes better absorption of fluids and reduces the feeling of dry mouth;
• It’s also worth giving up smoking, or at least doing it less often;
• You should avoid alcohol, as well as the use of mouth rinses containing alcohol - ethanol very much dries out tissues, especially mucous membranes.

You can also increase saliva production by providing the oral mucosa with natural hydration:

• The easiest way to increase salivation is to chew gum or suck on lollipops. It is important that neither chewing gum nor lollipops contain sugar, as it can increase the feeling of dryness;
• An infusion of coltsfoot, which is taken orally, also contributes to increased salivation;
• for the same purposes, you can use special preparations, such as Oralbalance or Bioxtra, available in the form of sprays;
• to relieve a slight feeling of dryness, you can also rinse your mouth with water and a small amount of lemon juice;
• To stimulate the salivary glands, you can resort to physiotherapeutic procedures - galvanotherapy of the salivary glands, electrophoresis with potassium iodide, vibration massage. Such procedures are extremely effective.

All these methods will help relieve discomfort and increase saliva production. However, we should not forget about identifying and treating the root cause of xerostomia, otherwise the unpleasant symptoms will return again and again.

Dryness and viscosity in the mouth are unpleasant phenomena that significantly worsen the quality of life. Xerostomia interferes with eating, speaking, leads to hoarseness of the voice and changes in taste sensations. It is not surprising that you want to get rid of all these manifestations as soon as possible. However, there is no need to rush to eliminate the symptom - you should first find out what it indicates. Dryness of the oral mucosa can be a signal of a serious disorder in the body. If you pay attention to this seemingly harmless symptom in a timely manner, you can avoid serious consequences at an early stage.