Cotton-mouth is the dry, sticky mouth and bad breath that follow cannabis use. It comes about because THC acts on CB1 and CB2 receptors in the salivary glands and shuts down saliva production. That happens whether you smoke cannabis or eat it in edibles.
After medicating on a high THC strain, you may feel like you are chewing on glue and losing saliva. This may also come with bad breath, making the experience even more hellish. Welcome to cotton-mouth, a major annoyance that comes with cannabis. The medicinal properties of cannabis have drawn all kinds of patients. But all is not bliss. Patients often have to deal with one annoyance: cotton-mouth and the breath problems that follow. This article shows you what to do about it, so you have a better experience as you medicate on cannabis.
What Is Cotton-mouth?
If you are using cannabis for the first time, the sticky, dry feeling left in your mouth might shock you. Sadly, this is bound to happen every time you partake. But there are a few tricks you can use to lessen it. In cannabis circles, that effect is called cotton-mouth. Cotton-mouth is not limited to smoking cannabis. It also happens when you take cannabis in other ways, such as eating cannabis-infused edibles.
What Causes Cotton-mouth?
Cotton-mouth is triggered by less saliva being made in the mouth. When this happens, your mouth dries up, and stickiness and bad breath come with it. Cannabis contains different compounds such as cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other nutrients. All these compounds have some therapeutic use, but cannabinoids have substantially significant therapeutic value. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are the most studied, and most popular, cannabinoids. THC is responsible for the psychoactive (mind-altering) stimulating properties of the herb. Research has shown that THC is actually responsible for the cotton-mouth effect produced by cannabis. It is the only cannabinoid that binds to CB1 receptors in the brain. That’s also why it can cause psychoactive effects. Apart from this, it also acts on salivary glands to cause that dry, sticky feeling associated with cotton-mouth. One study, published in the journal of Experimental Biology and Medicine (2006), showed that salivary glands (submandibular) have both CB1 and CB2 receptors. This confirmed that cannabinoids from cannabis could affect saliva production. The study found that both CB1 and CB2 receptors were present in the salivary tissue. This indicates that the endocannabinoid system (the body’s own cannabinoid system) plays a key role in making saliva. So it could be responsible for cotton-mouth symptoms. The study concluded that cannabinoids block saliva secretion by acting through CB1 and CB2 receptors in the salivary glands. The study also found that THC could block saliva secretion. THC is similar to anandamide, one of the body’s own cannabinoids. This possibly explains the link between cannabis and cotton-mouth.
How to Get Rid of Cotton-mouth
Now that you know how cotton-mouth comes about, how do you deal with it? Cotton-mouth is the result of less saliva being made in the mouth, which leaves a dry and sticky mouth. Sorting this out would definitely mean making more saliva. There are a number of fast remedies that can trigger saliva. The first is chewing gum or any hard chewy foods. This is set to prompt your salivary glands to release saliva. Chewing on sour foods such as sour candy, vinegar pickles, or lemons can also help raise saliva production and get rid of cotton-mouth. Sour foods have a way of stimulating salivary glands. Lastly, you can get rid of dry mouth by simply rehydrating. You can either suck on ice cubes or sip on water or other non-caffeinated drinks. You can do this as you keep enjoying your cannabis, so your mouth doesn’t get the chance to dry out. Rehydrating will also help ease some of the symptoms of cannabis smoking, such as a sore/dry throat.
What About The Cannabis Breath Problem?
Cotton-mouth is not the only annoying thing that comes with using cannabis. Many users also get bad breath that goes hand in hand with cotton-mouth. For some, this is even worse, as it can draw the wrong kind of attention. Remember that saliva helps clean out the bad bacteria that cause bad breath. So how do you deal with cannabis bad breath? There are four things you can do to nip this menace right in the bud.
- Practice good oral hygiene on a daily basis.
Good hygiene means regular brushing, flossing, and mouth washing twice a day. This prevents the build-up of bacteria that causes bad breath. It will also help get rid of any bad smell caused by cannabis.
- Use clean smoking devices
Using dirty or shared cannabis equipment will spread bacteria that may cause bad breath. Avoid sharing cannabis smoking equipment. Also clean your equipment well after each use, before using it again. Where possible, don’t use smoke-producing methods such as traditional joints to take your cannabis. Smoke is likely to increase bad breath.
- Reduce cotton-mouth
Remember that mouth-drying is responsible for bad breath. To avoid cotton-mouth, you can go for low THC strains or take them in moderation. Reducing cotton-mouth is one of the most effective ways to help treat cannabis breath.
- When it happens, rehydrate
Lastly, should you sense bad breath after taking cannabis, do not panic. All you need to do is get rid of cannabis bad breath as fast as possible. Some quick fixes include chewing gum, sucking on a lemon, and chewing the mint leaf. These help stimulate saliva production, which will clear the bacteria that cause bad breath. You can also use mouth sprays or mints that can clear the smell. If this does not work, you will need to brush your teeth and floss to save face. Cotton-mouth is one of the annoying symptoms that come with medicating on cannabis. It is generally triggered by THC, which lowers saliva production. Luckily, you can fix this by using the tactics listed above. I hope you really enjoy your next cannabis indulging experience.
Related reading
References
- High Times (2018): What To Do When You Have Cotton Mouth. Retrieved from https://hightimes.com/guides/cotton-mouth/
- Research Gate (2006): Inhibition of salivary secretion by activation of cannabinoid receptors. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6843321_Inhibition_of_salivary_secretion_by_activation_of_cannabinoid_receptors
- NCBI (2006): Inhibition of salivary secretion by activation of cannabinoid receptors. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16946411
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
Interventional pain physician, addiction medicine specialist and obesity medicine diplomate.
Licensed in Missouri and Illinois.
Last reviewed June 18, 2026
