Does your throat get really dry when you dive?

[vjanelle]

Even when fully hydrated (warming my wetsuit every 15 minutes) my throat and mouth do get dry. I usually end up having a coughing fit. I've been told the only way to correct this is to switch to a rebreather.

I get the same thing.

There's a product out there called the "biofilter" which may help, but YMMV. I've never personally used it(I just swish some salt water around and spit it out).

 

[Gombessa]

I've found it gets better with time, but I still end up with a dry throat, and cough a few times into my regulator, maybe every other dive or so.

The best way I've found to handle it is just to collect a little saliva in my mouth and swallow it. You could also take a pack of capri sun down with you and take a little drink break in the middle of your dive

 

[iztok]

I was always wondering... how can one hydrate under water?

--- never mind. I just saw it answered.

 

[paddler3d]

The best way I've found to handle it is just to collect a little saliva in my mouth and swallow it. You could also take a pack of capri sun down with you and take a little drink break in the middle of your dive

The trying to swallow trick is usually what causes the cough.

Now the Capri Sun trick? Really? Now that sounds interesting.

 

[Paladin]

Back in the Dark Ages, if we had a problem with dry mouth, we would cut a little piece of sponge to fit in the bottom of our two hose regulator mouthpieces. We soaked it with fresh water before a dive and it helped to moisten the dry air from the tank as we breathed. You have to be careful to not let the sponge block either the intake or exhaust valves, though.

 

[octopuppy]

Squeeze a slice of lemon over your mouth piece predive.

 

[fairybasslet]

Squeeze a slice of lemon over your mouth piece predive.

Now that's interesting. Thanks for the other suggestions, everyone.

 

[NJ to FLA]

Squeeze a slice of lemon over your mouth piece predive.

OH MY GOSH! do you do that??? I didn't even have to really put a lemon, just thinking about diving did the trick for me

 

[gbray]

I used to get bad cotton mouth while diving. Not eating raw oatmeal with peanut butter pre dive helped but it improved greatly when I learned to relax and suck less air down during the dive. After 70 dives it's not near the problem it was after only 15 dives.

 

[Ed Palma]

I used to get dry mouth too... then I started using a metal 2nd stage.

Some people say that it might be because the condensation formed on the metal during exhalation helps moisten the incoming dry air. It might also be something else altogether because my reg breathes a little wet when I'm upside down.