Mouth Clicks, Dry Mouth; The Bane of All Voice Actors

Mouth Clicks, Dry Mouth
The Importance of Salvia and Vocal Health
Awareness, Knowledge and Prevention Hints & Tips
8/23/2024

A comprehensive guide to help voice actors gain awareness for the different topics and aspects for reasons behind dry mouth and mouth clicks that create havoc for recording sessions.  We will discuss the Green Apples Myth or Fact along with taking a look at several other remedies and solutions that have worked for others. 

Salvia is the first critical step in digestion, moistening and breaking down food, providing enzymes, helping to wash away food particles from the teeth and gums, and providing lubrication to promote swallowing. In addition, saliva contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate that help keep teeth strong and fight tooth decay. 

Dry mouth, also called xerostomia (ZEER-oh-STOH-mee-ah), is the condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. Dry mouth can happen to anyone occasionally as a side effect of medications or from a variety of health conditions and even a side effect when you are nervous or stressed. 

When dry mouth persists, it can make chewing, breaking down food, swallowing, and even talking difficult causing mouth clicks and different mouth noises which will affect your recording sessions. Dry mouth can increase the risk for tooth decay or fungal infections like thrush, and gum disease in the mouth because saliva helps keep harmful germs in check.

A dry mouth can occur when the salivary glands in your mouth don't produce enough saliva. This is often the result of dehydration, which means you don't have enough fluid and trace minerals in your body to produce the saliva you need.

Dry mouth is a symptom of a condition, not a condition itself.

When your voice is your professional career: a teacher, a presenter, a singer, a voice-over artist, a public speaker, a PR representative, a politician and many others, caring for your voice is a lifelong process.  Knowledge, awareness and prevention is the key to keep those vocal cords healthy, strong and help you to take steps to avoid getting injured.

“Your vocal folds require moisture to perform perfectly. The larynx is part of your respiratory system. It's a hollow tube that lets air pass from your throat (pharynx) to your trachea on the way to your lungs. It also contains your vocal cords and is essential to human speech, so it's often called the voice box.”

Keeping this area healthy and moist and making healthy lifestyle choices lead you to protect the perfect tool for your professional voice career. Researching and developing a plan will bring you closer to creating “flexible vocal folds.” Salvia is a critical part of this plan. Understand its role and how to keep your moisture level constant to balance out your goals.

Lack of saliva can cause several problems:

• Bad breath (halitosis).

• Discomfort: Cotton mouth: Trouble with speech and stickiness, swallowing: causing clicks

• Neutralizing harmful acids

• Embarrassment, anxiety if your voice is your career: recording, speaking, performing

• Oral hygiene problems, including cavities, tooth decay and other mouth diseases.

• Problems wearing dentures.

• Trouble with the digestive process; salvia is the first step in breaking down the food in the digestive steps

Possible Symptoms of Dry Mouth:

• A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth

• Trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting, or speaking

• A burning feeling in the mouth

• A dry feeling in the throat

• Cracked lips

• A dry, rough tongue

• Mouth sores

• An infection in the mouth

• Mouth clicks, sticky sounds

 Possible Causes of a Dry Mouth:

 

• Dehydration

• Mouth-breathing

• Side Effects from medications: antihistamine, anti-depressants, diuretics

• Medical conditions: diabetes, cancer, kidney conditions, liver problems, HIV

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• Nerve Damage

• Poor Dental Healthy Mouth Care Routine

• Environmental: pollution, dry dessert elevation, smoky, dusty areas, construction zones, wildfire smoke

• Lifestyle Habits: smoking, drinking, drug use, caffeine intake, chocolate

• Lifestyle Dietary Habits: food allergens, pollutants, hormones in food supply, dairy intake (in some people), refined foods, oils, flours and sugars, nuts, refined carbohydrates

Getting to the Root Cause: Some Solutions:
Try to Avoid:

• Acidic, spicy, salty, dry and sugary foods and beverages.

• Alcoholic drinks

• Caffeine: tea, sodas and monster drinks, carbonated caffeine tends to dry out the mouth.

• Mouthwashes that contain alcohol

• Smoking, chewing tobacco, vaping

• Breathing with an open mouth

• Sleeping with open mouth, snoring

• Anxiety disorders

• Heat of day, heavy exercises; causes of dehydration

• Over the Counter Drugs like diuretics, antihistamines will cause excessive dry mouth

• Drugs: cocaine, marijuana smoke and others are known to be the cause of dry mouth

 

Hydration:

The problem with hydration though, is that the body can only take in water at a certain rate. Guzzling 32 oz of water 15 minutes before a recording session is of no use whatsoever. Your body will not have enough time to distribute the water evenly around the body and into the mouth consistently.

The result of this is that you have too much water in your mouth creating a smacking wet sound the microphone will pick up.

The secret is that you need to start hydrating, sipping not guzzling, at least two hours before your recording session starts. This will give your body enough time to saturate your body and produce the salvia you will need.
Look at you diet and your lifestyle choices before your recording session. Take in enough water to make sure that you are properly hydrated and watch your choices that might interfere and cause your dehydration problems in the first place.

Common Solutions for Dry Mouth:

Hydrate: with pure, clean water from a filter (if traveling or on-the-go use a stainless steel or glass container:
See SOTVO Stainless Steel Water Bottles (CLICK HERE)  

HINT: Learn about choosing a "Plastic-Free Lifestyle;"
Learn How Plastic Water Bottles have been tested as "Toxic for your Health;"
"Micro Plastics How These Particles Effect Your Body) Read our BLOG Article (CLICK HERE)"

Throat Spray: non-alcohol base

Suck on Lozenges: can stimulate your salivary glands, lozenges can become a choking hazard, take care

Good Oral Hygiene: includes brushing and flossing each day, as well as rinsing the mouth with water or mouthwash (non alcohol base) after meals to help wash away food particles.
Regular dentist visits; cleaning, exams and taking care of any dental issues like cavities or chips and cracks in your tooth cavities.

Healthy Routine for Dental and Oral Health:
Some people choose to use a tongue scraper to help reduce bacteria on their tongue, which may also improve overall oral health. Water Piks have also shown to help with better dental care.

Looking at Lifestyle Habits; coffee, caffeine monster drinks, chocolate, diet, exercise, etc. are known to create dehydration.

Change your Lifestyle Choices: smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, options in medications, etc.

Lifestyle Healthy Environment Choices: look at your air quality, dusty, windy, industrial smoke, pollution, dry, elevation, etc try humidifiers, air purifiers, de-humidifier, 

EATING GREEN APPLES: MYTH or LEGEND!

Any foods that contain high acidity will help get rid of mouth sounds like clicking and lip smacks. The malic acid in green apples helps flush away mucus and clean the mouth. Fruit acidity is due to the presence of organic acids, malic and citric acids.

With this remedy it is said that eating green apples before a recording session will help clear the mouth of mouth clicks and mouth noises that can be picked up by the microphone. 

This fix works well, with exceptions, it is only “temporary fix” and will only lasts 5 to 10 minutes before the dry mouth will return.
The best way to clear dry mouth up is to “hydrate” slowly sipping small amounts and roll pure, clean water around the mouth, tongue and swallow to moisten tissues and vocal folds in throat.

Another solution, to look at, you may try water and organic, unrefined, local honey, this can affectively clear your throat of phlegm, and sanitize your mouth from bacteria. You can place this solution in a spray bottle that will hit the back of the throat and drizzle down to a direct connection to the throat tissue to clear up the vocal folds.

pH Acidity Levels:

Natural pH of a resting mouth usually does not fall below 6.3
Average ph levels for the mouth salvia are 6.2 – 7.6

Acidic Food List: pH Levels: 

• Organic Green Apple – 3.1

• Organic Apple Juice – 3.4 – 3.7

• Organic Apple Cider – 3.5

• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother – 2 - 3

• Organic Green Grapes – 2.4

• Organic Pineapple – 3.2 – 4.1

• Organic Grapefruit – 2.9 – 3.3

• Organic Lemon – 2 – 3

• Organic Cranberry

 “Remember Balance and Timing …One Report from voice recording producer announced that a voice-over artist had to be replaced because she ate a bunch of Green Grapes just before a recording session and she could not get her voice to clear; too tight, too rough, too dry – eating high acidic foods, lots of caffeine before a recording session causes dry mouth, mouth clicks, and tightens up the vocal folds.”

How Does Acid Reflux Effect Your Vocal Cords:

“Looking at diet people with acid reflux, the acids foods could actually be detrimental to their voice quality. Severe reflux pushes stomach acid up through the larynx and casus the vocal cords o swell or feel dry and irritated.
Excess phlegm and post nasal drip affect your performance too. Skip the acid juices these can cause a problem too.  Another source to look at is the food and drink you eat. 
Drinking alkaline water will act as a base to help neutralize the stomach acid; your first hint, look at a healthy diet next.”
John Lingle: Voice Specialist; University of Rochester Medicine Center

Hydrating Foods: High Water Content Foods

For every mouth click you accidentally perform, you will end up with a much louder and more audible mouth click on the finished recording that will need to go through audio editing and effect the efficiency and quality of the end product.

“So, constant sipping of water is essential – I usually get my VO’s to sip a little every 10-15 lines or so. Yes, you will be on the toilet in every single break, but you will be re-hired because your voice sounds delicious.

If you don’t do this – especially in modern air-conditioned studios – clickyness will ensue!
You have been warned!” – Hugh Edwards; GravyForTheBrain

 Again remember single use water bottles are a concern, several studies and tests find they are full of toxins and take 240 years to decompose down to microplastics in the soil.

A stainless steel or glass option in your to-go cups with clean, filtered water is your best choice. Stainless steel and glass is 100% recyclable and reusable.

Just remember:

• Sip the water, frequently

• Wash it around your mouth, slowly

• Properly swallowing the water – guzzling or gulping – during sessions will leave you clicky from too much water in the mouth!

Fruits containing large amounts of water are excellent hydration-conscious snacks, 30 minutes to 1 hour before a recording session, including:

• Apples – 86% (Green Apples are high in malic acid)

• Pears – 80 – 89%

• Watermelon – 92%

• Peaches – 88%

• Melons – Cantaloupe 89%, Honeydew 91%

• Grapes – 82% (high in malic acid though; be cautious)

• Blueberries – 85%

• Oranges – 86%

• Pineapples – 86%

• Plums – 87%

• Raspberries – 85%

• Broth: chicken 97%, beef 97%, vegetable 98%

• Tomatoes – 95%

• Cucumber – 96%

• Celery – 95%

• Lettuce – 95%

• Zucchini – 94%

• Watercress – 93%

…just to name a few

 

Another Clue That May Cause Your Mouth Clicks: 
How Are Your Speaking Habits?

Pronunciation – is defined as the act or result of producing the sounds of speech, including articulation, stress, and intonation. Pronunciation is related to the word itself, focusing on which syllables should be emphasized and how certain letters (or combinations of letters) should sound when spoken.
 
Developing poor speaking habits will hurt your communication skills and your recording sessions. 

Practice opening your mouth shape the words even if you need to over exaggerate at first. 
Learn how to sound out your words then to form your words with your mouth shapes. 
Listen to how you talk or read out loud to see if there is a pattern with certain words.
Practice until it becomes natural.
Hire a speech therapist or a vocal coach to correct bad habits, if needed.
Poor Pronunciation will cause mumbled words, mis-understood words this will end in poor recording session.

Remember finding the reason for your mouth clicks will help you to understand the causes of mouth sounds and mouth clicks on the recording. 

Audio editors find this to be the causes for time, effort and a more intense audio editing session for them, which in turn creates a higher cost. 

In turn, poor acting, poor reading skills, and creating a bad first impression will be the result. It is worth your efforts to correct any badly formed words.

Enunciation - Proper enunciation is essential for the listener of your voice production to have any idea of what the voice actor is saying or singing. Enunciation refers to how clearly and distinctly a particular individual forms the sounds that make up a word.

A perfect example would be in the film version of My Fair Lady where Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle worked on correcting her speech patterns with the tongue twister:
 
“The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain?” 

Without proper enunciation, that sentence can be a garbled mess and totally misunderstood by the listener! But by enunciating your words, your listener will easily understand even the most difficult, tongue-twisty lines.

How to Stop the Mouth Clicking and Mouth Sounds that come from Your Speaking Habits:

Pronunciation: Break down words, form your sounds, open your mouth – Practice, Practice, Practice until it becomes natural; this will help you with your voice character development, dialect accents in different languages…

Enunciation: starts with proper body alignment: How do you stand? Where do you place your head? Breathing from diaphragm? How are your words sounding? Muffled, mumbling, lazy pronunciation… Practicing…

Slow Down: find your rhythm to develop your word rhythm and sound for clear understanding and comprehension of your listener. Fast talking leads to miscommunication, unless you have great Pronunciation and Enunciation of each word you speak. There are exceptions, of course, instructions from your script; if needed to fit in a timeline; you still will need to create clear content; sometimes vocal warm-ups and tongue twisters will help with clear, fast speaking.

Practice Opening Your Mouth: to form your words, even if it feels like you are over-exaggerating – Practice, Practice, Practice until it becomes natural

Learn Breath Deep Exercises: build up your endurance
Learn to Breathe Without Noise / Supporting Your Diaphragm

Reading Out Loud: confidence building, rhythm, cadence, breathing, a great practice vocal warm-up exercise

Tongue Twisters: vocal warm-ups with pronunciation and enunciation can create a strong recording

Do Not Over Project: Speaking too loud into a microphone will create a poor recording session; learn to equalize – normalize your voice to the level your microphone likes. Some microphones are so sensitive speaking loud causes disturbances and a poor recording sessions
Exception would be anime, sounds effects, or gaming; script direction – this is where your GAIN and Equipment Knowledge come into play.

Hire A Creditable Speech Therapist or Vocal Coach/Mentor:

 

 

Movement of your Lips and Tongue:

The following the tested theory that comes from the Voice Coach; Bill DeWess

“Your 1^st line of defense is the MINIMIZE your mouth noise by eliminating the movement of your lips and tongue.”

Keeping your lips resting apart instead of together is a strange habit yes, but an interesting theory if you take a closer look at it.  Very awkward at first but becomes better with practicing and ends up with a ton better result in your recording sessions.  

Resting your lips together (touching) as you read, in between characters, switching chapters, taking a breath will inevitably have to be pulled apart and this will create some kind of noise that will be picked up by your microphone. Getting in the habit and practicing not resting your with your lips together becomes something to become aware of then actively practicing keep your lips slightly apart when you record. Try it – Do you see a difference??

Keeping your lips hydrated and moistened; lip balm, hydration, not getting in the habit of frequently licking your lips; this will dry your lips out even more.

Another awareness step that will be an interesting theory to take a look at is allowing your tongue movement: between resting periods and to rest against the top of your mouth in-between sentences, between chapters, even taking a break between takes, remember just like the lips if your tongue connects to your lips or the top of your mouth and it moves to pull apart it will make a noise; in turn again this will be picked up by your microphone. Practice on keeping your tongue still and not resting at the top of your mouth might make a big difference in your final recording session.

Another Solution to Stop Mouth Clicks is Coaching:
Here is an Example: Joe Zieja’s Voice Acting Academy:

This incredible course takes you through different step-by-step techniques to help voice actors understand components for becoming and building a career and establishing your presence and brand in your chosen professional field in all the different areas and genres of voice-over; position, distance from microphone, filters, types of microphones for different results, Audio Editing D.A.W. tweaks, all these are covered and much, much more…

Learning Microphone Techniques to Help Stop Mouth Clicks:

Good Support For Your Diaphragm: Learn and actively build your breath skill set and how your diaphragm muscle is used. Understanding the purpose and the exercises to develop this muscle will help you to perfect your endurance during a recording session.

Standing Straight/Good Posture: Opens up your chest cavity and gives your full expanse of your lung capacity.

Distance From the Microphone: a golden rule is about a “fist” length or a “hang loose” hand distance away from the microphone. For my hand size the measurement of my “fist” width is 3 ½” and the measurement of my “hang loose” hand is about 7.” This will give you a base starting point to adjust from.

Angle of Microphone: Is generally not directed directly at you face, it is angled downward, depending on your microphone, your room space, a pop filter will help a lot.

Your Breathing Pattern: Become aware of your breath; when it happens, what pattern you tend to have, what specific words cause more breath than others, what characters create deeper breathes than others, what language dialects cause more deeper breathes, how noisy are you when you breathe, all these patterns will create noise that the microphone will pick up. 
Awareness and control will help you to understand what areas you need to work on and the steps needed to develop your endurance level. 
Deep breathing exercises, vocal warm-ups, tongue twisters, breath control, vocal straws, breath building gadgets, playing a wind instrument, swimming, singing, vocal projection exercises will help you to build your skill set, expand your lung capacity, strengthen your diaphragm and your performance will soar.

 STEPS to DISCOVER WHY? Your reason might be different every time you record.
Look for patterns.

Find and Understand the ROOT CAUSE for your dry mouth (allergies, medications, caffeine intake, salty food intake, chocolate, sodas (carbonation), health conditions, mouth breathing, sinus/mucus issues, poor dental care, speaking issues, etc.)

Once you discover and map out your patterns then look for a solution; you may need a couple.

Look at your physical bodies time tables and rhythms: (when you drink water what is the average time after you will need a bathroom break, how many words or sentences until your mouth becomes dry again, look at your nervous anxiety level personal gage for each situation, look at your voice and throat health for the day, try the different solutions to see which ones work for you)
Gage your patterns then prep for a session, during a session, and after care.

Look at your environment: then make adjustments (city pollution, dry area, humid area, high pollen count, air conditioning in recording studio, etc) you may need an air filter, humidifier, de-humidifer, personal facial steamer, DIY remedy, hydration method (water purifier, trace minerals, etc)

Understand the difference between sipping to “moisten” and drinking to “hydrate” - Balance is everything: too much salvia will cause recording problems too. Hydrate 2 hours before a session by small sipping.

Chewing sugar free gum with xylitol (sugar alcohol) or stevia or sucking on a lozenges = test to see how long before a session to chew gum or have a lozenge; watch the timetable, make notes, how long effect lasts. These options will stimulate salvia but it is only a temporary fix.
Remember to wrap your gum in tissue and throw away before recording.

Remember eating acidic foods: do work for some ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX around 5 to 10 minutes (except those with acid reflux condition) For this remedy will tighten up the vocal folds and will not work while recording

Using a Remedy: Throat Spray (non alcohol base), herbal remedy, tea, lozenges, syrup and more…

 

DIY SOLUTIONS:

Home Remedy Options That Have Shown Success:

Ayurvedic Oil Pulling

• Herbs and Herbal Remedies

• DIY: Popular Throat Coat Solution

• Throat Sprays or Spritz

• Essential Oils

• Vapor Inhalation and Facial Steamer

• DIY: Make Your Own Mouth Rinse and/or Gargle

• Lozenges and Pastilles

• Will a Neti Pot help your vocal performance?

• Severe Dry Mouth/Health and Medical Conditions:  Possible Help with Acupuncture:

• Too Much Salvia: Something to consider

 

Ayurvedic Oil Pulling:

Oil pulling is the Ayurvedic practice of cleansing the mouth with oil.
1 teaspoon of chosen organic oil – then swish for 10 minutes - spit

Dr. Mark Burhenne, from Ask the Dentist, comments:

“If you brush after you pull, you'll actually get rid of the good bacteria you just worked up to support oral care.”

With this in mind, brushing then swishing may be best.

Do Not Use Seed Oils – These are highly refined oils (grapeseed, canola, rapeseed, sunflower, safflower, corn, peanut, vegetable oil, etc) during the manufacturing process heat is created and changes the oil nutrients into toxic elements.
*There is one exception: cold pressed, unrefined organic Sesame Seed Oil.

Use only oil produced from the meat or flesh of the plant – organic, cold pressed, extra virgin Olive Oils, 
Sesame Seed Oil: cold pressed, unrefined organic only, cold pressed, organic Coconut, unrefined
Studies have shown these oils have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help decrease and prevent harmful bacteria overgrowth in your mouth.

“Some people get relief from dry mouth by holding a few teaspoons of coconut or sesame oil in the mouth for 10 to 15 minutes without swallowing. Based on the Ayurvedic medicine “oil pulling” method, this at-home approach is “a safe traditional practice for modern times,” says Dr. Hou. Using this natural method for treating dry mouth works because the oil cleans out the mouth while coating and soothing irritated spots.”
Jason Hou, Pharmacist; Integrative Medicine Service (IMS) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Be sure NOT to swallow the oil.

And don’t spit out the oil in the sink, because it WILL coagulate and clog your drains!

Don’t be shocked if the oil/saliva mixture you spit out is milky white or yellow.

 No need to physically swish oil around forcefully in your mouth

Swish here and there and for the rest of the time gently roll the oil around mouth, tongue, roof of mouth, between teeth for the time allotted, without swallowing.

 If you fighting bleeding gums or mouth infections or noticing canker sores, add some essential oils: 1 drop of clove, lemon, peppermint into your TBLSP of oil before swishing.  Oregano oil and tea tree will actively fight infections and kill bacteria.

 

Herbs and Herbal Remedies:

Herbal remedies can be made into different recipes and mixed in different combinations like; throat teas, sprays, lozenges, or syrups to coat the throat cut down on redness, inflammation, swelling, dryness, hoarseness, itchiness, and croakiness of the voice.

  Ginger Root

·         Slippery Elm Bark

·         Marshmallow Root

·         Ginseng: balances “yin” creates juices

·         Honey, Raw, Unrefined Local or Manuka Honey

·         Licorice Root

·         Peppermint Leaf

·         Chamomile Flowers

·         Fenugreek Seed

As with all herbal remedies discuss with your chosen physician/doctor/specialist to make sure any remedies will not interfere with any drug or pharmaceutical prescription you are taking.

How Can Ginger Solve Your Dry Mouth:

Ginger throat sprays, ginger tea, and other products with ginger like ginger chews; ginger lozenges; these may help stimulate the salivary glands and increase saliva production.

"A 2017 clinical trial on 20 people noted that ginger spray could be an alternative to other treatments for some people with dry mouth. Using the ginger root spray increased saliva significantly, soothed throat irritation and reduced itchy throat. Ginger is known to increase circulation and reduce pain."

DIY: Throat Coat Solution:          

Many vocal professionals claim to love to drink the all famous Traditional Medicines Throat Coat Tea products with the main ingredients: Licorice Root, Licorice Root Extract, slippery elm, marshmallow root, Wild Cherry Bark, fennel, orange peel, cinnamon bark, ginger root

Traditional Medicines Throat Coat Lozenges: Active Ingredients: Menthol Inactive Ingredients: Organic eucalyptus oil, organic glucose syrup, organic ivy extract, pectin, organic peppermint oil, organic rapeseed oil, organic raw cane sugar, water. 

DIY Throat Coat Homemade Tea
16 oz pure, clean filtered water
2 TBLSP Throat Coat Bulk Tea Combination: Loose Tea Leaves

Bulk Tea Base

1/2 cup Licorice DGL Extract Root: cut/sifted
1/2 cup Slippery Elm Bark: cut/sifted
1/2 cup Marshmallow Root: cut/sifted
1/2 cup Wild Cherry Bark: cut/sifted
1/4 cup Eucalyptus Leaves: cut/sifted
2 TBLSP Ginger Root: cut/sifted or fresh grated
3 TBLSP Chamomile Flowers: whole
1 TBLSP Fennel seed: cut/sifted
2 TBLSP Orange Peel: granules
1 TBLSP Peppermint leaves; cut/sifted
1 teas. Cinnamon Bark; whole grated

Mix all ingredients; Place in UV Protected Amber Glass Container: store in cool, dry place.

Making A Cup of Tea:

16 oz pure, clean filtered water
2 TBLSP Bulk Tea Combination: Loose Tea Leaves

Add water to a stainless steel pan, never use a Teflon non-stick pan
Bring water to steamy, just starting to boil: remove from heat, add 2 TBLSP of the bulk loose tea Throat Coat Tea combination; cover and let steep for 30 minutes; serve warm with lemon and honey, if needed

 

 

 

Throat Sprays or Spritz:

Organic Herbal Throat Sprays (non alcohol based) are a traditional way of reaching the back of the throat to clear mucus, and to reduce swelling, irritation of a sore or soothe a strained throat.  This type of remedy by passes the oral mouth and teeth care and goes straight to the target to drizzle down the throat. Making this a perfect way of introducing moisture, lubrication and healing to the larynx, and vocal folds. 

Local, organic raw honey with a squeeze of fresh organic onion and lemon juice, along with a touch of cayenne has been a remedy for a cough going way back to 1700s, delivered by a spoonful to slowly drizzle down the back of the throat or rubbed as far back in the mouth cavity to offer relief, soothe the pain and reduce soreness.

Taking a second look we find currant studies to back up the use of throat sprays as another delivery system to heal the throat area without going through digestion first.

"Too name one of these studies: (Hawkins J, Hires C, Dunne E, Keenan L.PMCID: PMC9297472)  shows promoting the use of essential oils used in a throat spray helping with bronchial respiratory conditions. You may research several other studies, easily found through a general search on throat spray benefits."

Depending on your recipe combination and the herbs or essential oils you choose to combine into a spray will determine the purpose you want to achieve. Understand and choose your options carefully, when combining your own formulas based on your health, lifestyle, medical conditions and allergies. 

For example: 

DIY Herbal Throat Sprays are easily created from any tea combinations you have used in the past; for example like the "Throat Coat Tea."  This tea combination can be turned into a Throat Spray simply, like this; 

You will need:

(1) 2 oz Glass Spray Bottle
Fill bottle 3/4 full of your DIY Herbal Throat Coat tea, recipe above, after it has been prepared and steeped, then strained for serving.
Add 1 teaspoon to the 2 oz bottle of organic, unrefined, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil (or you can choose: organic, unrefined, cold pressed coconut oil, organic, unrefined, cold pressed sesame seed oil, organic, unrefined, cold pressed avocado oil, remember do not use seed oils because of toxicity, etc.)

**NOTE: Instead of using oil; some has chosen the option to use organic vegetable glycerin to coat and soothe; this is a "sugar alcohol" not a sugar so it is acceptable for diabetics.

Place a "spray top" lid on tight and shake well.

 To Use: 

1. Brush your teeth and wait 15 minutes to regain your normal pH balance in the oral cavity. (start with a clean mouth) (gargling or swishing works to clear debris from oral and in-between teeth, this is the desired effect for this step)

2. Do not eat or drink any food or liquid during this waiting time.

3. Open mouth, angle spray bottle to direct the spray toward the back of throat.

4. Hold your breath, just before you spray.

5. Spray in the back of throat

6. Try not to swallow for at least 15 to 30 seconds.

7. You can use up to 6x daily, or when needed.

You already trust and know this tea combination and feel comfortable using it. Spraying the tea w/oil combination will direct the moisture and soothing lubrication to the back of the throat and down to your vocal chords in a direct path. Drizzling instead of sipping or guzzling.

Upon further research, pharmaceutical and over-the-counter throat sprays have been used to help recover from various health conditions and do have side effects to watch out for. Research before choosing which brand and for what purpose before purchasing.

As always when using herbal combinations look at allergy reactions and reactions with drug/herb combinations.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if using your prescriptions along with certain foods or herbs would cause concerns or reactions if used together, for your conditions and lifestyle.

There have been voice performers who have loved products already on the market: these liquid options can very easily be turned into a "throat spray".

For Example:

Many vocal performer leave testimonials and comments for this product:

CLYOR VOICE37- Vocal Booster - Singers Voice Remedy - Throat Vocal Health -

but this does not have a "spray" option available:  By ordering an "spray top" to "fit" the 2 oz bottle size this option will turn your bottle into a "spray" bottle, if you so desire.

(CLICK HERE) to look at this option: 
Spray Tops: For 5, 10, 15 to 100 ml Bottles

 

DIY: Essential Oils Solutions for Dry Mouth, Mouth Clicks and more:

Essential oils are primarily extracted through careful steam distillation but also through cold pressing, the purest essential oils are far more powerful than the botanicals, flowers, herbs, barks, gums from which they were extracted so you get a concentrated form of healing elements.  

Several different options for a vocal performer to take advantage come in many forms and in many oils.  Each essential oil is targeted for uses and healings the the plant has been best known for.
They are used in throat lozenges, throat sprays, supplements, cough syrups, vapor/steam therapies, massage therapies, topical/external therapies, cosmetics, and much more. Traditional uses go far back in history and have an excellent healing reputation.

For example:

Many know peppermint essential oil and has even had a cup of peppermint tea to calm an upset tummy. Stimulates skin blood flow increasing circulation which has been used to soothes headaches, sore muscles, hair growth and stop inflammation, just to name a few uses. 

Everyone loves the smell of cinnamon/clove and pine around Christmas time and the smell of eucalyptus, wintergreen, menthol when you are feeling sick. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to soothe the soul and heal the body; voice actors and professional have used oils to help calm an over strained vocal cords and cool the flames of vocal strain in over use for sound effects, anime sessions or long singing tours.

This therapy is worth taking a look at to see if any of the applications will work for you. You will be surprised that many of your favorite "GO TOs" like lozenges, extracts, teas, syrups, all have in there ingredient list the use of essential oils. 

Essential oils are known to always be applied with a carrier oil, topically (externally) or diluted within a combination of other ingredients to make the final product.

As with any and all things remember balance, awareness, knowledge and action. With the essential oils being a concentrated part of the plant's makeup without any dilution of a carrier oil a possible physical reaction might take place.

For a topical reaction look for: redness, allergic reaction, irritation, itchiness of application site. If this happens make a note and mark the bottle then switch to another oil and  perform another patch test. 

Remember never apply an essential oil topically straight to the skin without diluting it first with a carrier oil. Always do a patch test on a small area, like inside of your wrist, wait 20 minutes and see if your skin has any signs of redness or irritation.

Any oil or vegetable glycerin is an accepted carrier oil.  But in the industry preferred oils that are absorbed quickly into the skin layer.  Some preferred carrier oils include, organic, unrefined, cold pressed oils like; sweet almond, coconut, avocado, jojoba, extra virgin olive oils are examples. 

Questions and concerns have been raised about the safety for internal use of essential oils.  

Essential oils come from natural compounds found in nature like plants and fruits, so they provide a safe, natural way to experience internal benefits for the body. Our bodies are already equipped to metabolize and process natural compounds like those found in fruits and plants, which means that we are prepared to process essential oils. 

As with any healing method there are some oils due to their chemistry, that are never safe for internal consumption due to the chemical components reacting to your health condition, medical condition, age, prescription drugs, alcohol intake, and if you are pregnant, elderly or pet use; these will need to be discussed with your doctor or specialists. Do your research and talk to a professional that knowledgeable in the use of essential oils; Functional, Integrative Doctors are a good choice.

Internal Dosage and Dilution

If you have never used essential oils internally; it is always a good idea to start with the smallest possible dose: one to two drops. This will allow you to see how the oil interacts with your body, then you can always increase the dose slowly to see how your body reacts.

• ​Start with 1-2 drops to 1/4 oz of carrier oil. (1/4 oz equals 1.5 teaspoon)

• Recommended dose: 1-6 drops (dilute 6 drops in 2 oz of carrier oil)

• No more than 20 drops within a 24 hour period

• Always dilute before internal use: These are some of the strongest oils; Cassia, Cinnamon, Clove, Oregano, Tea Tree, and Thyme

Keep in mind that if you ever experience sensitivity in the digestive system after using an essential oil, you should immediately stop using it.

Only use essential oils from a reputable, certified organic, high quality controlled company like: Young Living, DoTerra, Aura Cacia, Cliganic with many more options of great companies out there. Do your research and find the price range and company that fits your choices and lifestyle.

Essential Oil Diffuser (Click Here): Choose from your favorite oils or discover new combinations. Find out what works best for your recording space. A diffuser work by creating a steam vapor that is scented with the essential oil or blend of oils from your chosen combinations and for the purpose you are trying to obtain healing, purification, fragrance, soothing anxiety, are just a couple of purposes many have used these powerful oils for. Some diffusers have add a few drops of the essential oil to the water itself. Others have absorbent scent pads where you apply the essential oils. With both of these types of diffusers, the scent of the essential oil ends up in the steam, which isn't hot and doesn't pose a risk of burning. The steam is then dispersed into the room.

The rule of thumb is to diffuse in a ventilated room intermittently: 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off.

·      Essential Oils Good For Throat Care: 

Peppermint
Spearmint
Wintergeen
Eucalyptus
Tea Tree
Frankincense
Myrrh
Clove
Menthol oil

 

Vapor Inhalation and Facial Steamer:

Steamer is a Humidifier: living in a dry environmental or with pollution and high dust windy environments, hydration with a facial steamer can make all the difference. Soothing, steam or mist in the air that we breathe deep makes direct contact with the vocal cords, break up mucus and hydrate your vocal folds.

Cool Mist Humidifier: use distilled water only. Options will have a place for the use of essential oils

Simple Vapor Inhalation: a glass or stainless steel bowl 4 cups of boiling distilled water only with 10 drops of essential oil combinations; and a large towel place face close to steamy bowl; place large towel over your head and shoulder, like a tent, and breathe deep for a couple of minutes.

Personal Facial Steamer: a new gadget on the market today (CLICK HERE) use distilled water only.

CAUTION: The use of tap water is a concern REMEMBER tap water is proven to be full of toxic elements along with chorine, when heated and turned into steam you inhale the steam, the water vapor that contains chlorine, disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes, chloramines, fluoride and many other water pollutants entering and being absorbed by your lungs and into your bloodstream

 

DIY: Make Your Own Mouth Rinse and/or Gargle

 Make your own mouthwash and gargle:

Blend 1 cup of warm distilled water
2 TBLSP alcohol-free organic witch hazel
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon organic Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil, unrefined, cold pressed, organic
10 drops Essential Oil (3 drops orange, 2 drops clove, 2 drops lemon, 3 drops tea tree)

Mix all ingredients well in a glass bowl; Store in UV Protected Amber glass jar; shake well before use. Daily take 1 TBLSP of mouthwash and swish for 1 minute, gargle for 1 minute, spit.

Make your own Mouth Rise: According to Biological Dentistry adding 1 Tablespoon to your water well of your "Oral Water Jet" will increase your gum and dental health and provide extra protection against gum disease and tooth decay.

 

DIY: Lozenges and Pastilles

“For lozenges, Dr. Hou suggests those containing slippery elm and/or marshmallow root. These herbs contain mucilage, a substance that helps to coat the tongue, mouth, and throat, and keeps moisture locked in your mouth."

This remedy is used to stimulate salvia flow to moisten the mouth. Watch your ingredients and read you labels to find out if the ingredients are clean or just full of ‘junk.”  Look for “clean” ingredients without preservatives, additives, colorings and artificial sugars and ingredients. Stay as “organic” as possible to boost your health and give your poor liver a break.

Remember balance… too much of a good thing can cause problems and tip the scales. How many lozenges and pastilles are you consuming per day…times that with the Nutritional Facts Serving Size on the package and add up how much you are consuming.

Lozenges: a small medicinal tablet, originally in various shapes, taken for sore throats and dissolved slowly in the mouth.

Pastilles: a small candy or lozenge; a type of sweet or medicinal pill made of a thick liquid that has been solidified and is meant to be consumed by light chewing and allowing it to dissolve in the mouth

Testimonials from voice artists say they love Olbas Oil Lozenges:

Ingredients:  Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendra), Wintergreen, Juniper and Clove


Several voice artists have used Grether’s Pastilles:

Ingredients: Blackcurrants, Glycerin, Red Algae Agar Agar, Gelatin (Gummy Texture)

Another popular lozenge for voice artists is Fisherman’s Friend Lozenges:

Main Ingredient: Menthol 10% ; Inactive Ingredients: Capsicum, dextrin, eucalyptus oil, natural licorice, sugar, tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer)  (this is a gum base from the sap of a shrub in the Middle East; Other Names: Goat’s Thorn or Loco Weed or Shiraz, Gum Elect or Gum Dragon)

 

Will the use of a Neti Pot help your vocal performance? Remedy for Sinus Nasal Congestion: Mucus 

The best time to use the Neti Pot is right before going to bed or right when you wake up. This helps to prevent mucus from ever dripping onto your vocal cords in the first place.

Use distilled water

“The truth is the Neti Pot (like all new experiences), takes some getting used to.  After the 2nd or 3rd try it is very easy to use. The results are fantastic.  Being able to deeply clean and irrigate your nasal passages is a massive advantage for a singer.” – Jacob Burton; Professional Vocal Coach in Nashville, Tennessee

Add the Ayurvedic method and idea of oil pulling and add 1 teaspoon of your chosen oil to your Neti Pot to coat nasal cavity with a moisture barrier will help to keeping your sinus cavity

Severe Dry Mouth/Health and Medical Conditions:  Possible Help with Acupuncture:

For severe conditions of dry mouth and health conditions with the side effect of dry mouth:

Studies:

"A 2008 study published in the BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies journal showed in scans that acupuncture activated the part of the brain that makes saliva. When researchers stimulated an acupuncture point on the index finger, they found the saliva-making area of the brains in healthy volunteers show up on MRI neuro-imaging signal chains and scans. Nothing happened when the volunteers received sham (fake) acupuncture."

"Another study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2010, showed 58 people who developed xerostomia after radiation for head and neck cancers experienced lasting relief from their dry mouth, pain and dysfunction.  Positive results were recorded in the acupuncture procedures as opposed to the pharmaceutical painkillers and other traditional medicines with caused side effects in their patients. Those with the most severe mouth dryness tended to have the greatest improvement."

As always when you are concerned go to a Throat, Mouth Specialist to discover if there might be a health condition and the best way to take steps in balancing out symptoms

.

Problems with Too Much Salvia:

Hypersalivation, your salivary glands produce more saliva than usual. Hypersalivation may be temporary or chronic depending on the cause. Constant hypersalivation (sialorrhea) often relates back to an underlying condition that affects muscle control. This may be a sign preceding diagnosis or a symptom that develops later on.
Looking for the ROOT CAUSE of this symptom will be your key concern. From that determination you will be able to find a solution.  Ask your dentist and your doctor to find and discuss your concerns.
Look at your oral care first and then branch out from there. Some have found results with the Ayurvedic Oil Pulling method and with a non-alcohol based mouthwash/gargle.

AFTER CARE: Digital Audio Workstation (D.A.W.) Software:

If your mouth-clicks and mouth noises do go to audio editing here are some great tips for your

2^nd line of defense.

Spectral views in your D.A.W’s allows you to see waveforms in color and shape. This 3D type editing helps you to better identify mouth noises and gives you border editing options to correct the problem. Again practice, practice, practice and time will help to build your skill level in this type of editing procedure. Get familiar with it and see the difference.

Others have used Software Plug-ins:

Isoptop RX: Mouth-clicks remover

X- crackle (Bill’s favorite) = X-Click - Waves.com

Here are some video clips to help you to understand other options.  

Bill DeWees: Voice Coach - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1YNXv-1btk

Another helpful video comes from

#1 Company to Hire Voice Actors/Great Place to Start Your Career
Voices: https://www.voices.com/

The Video from Voices - How To Remove Mouth Noises In Your Recordings: 

Seize The Day!
All the luck to you and your career!
SOTVO Team 

THE END

 

References:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mouth/dry-mouth#:~:text=A%20dry%20mouth%20can%20occur,re%20feeling%20anxious%20or%20nervous.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/10902-dry-mouth-xerostomia

https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/dry-mouth

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187640#causes

Mardani H, Ghannadi A, Rashnavadi B, Kamali R. The Effect of ginger herbal spray on reducing xerostomia in patients with type II diabetes. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2017 Jul-Aug;7(4):308-316. PMID: 28884081; PMCID: PMC5580869.

https://flypaper.soundfly.com/produce/green-apple-trick/#:~:text=Any%20foods%20that%20contain%20high,mucus%20and%20clean%20the%20mouth

https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/09/podcasting-apples-guide.html

https://www.mskcc.org/news/natural-remedies-dry-mouth-xerostomia#:~:text=Some%20people%20get%20relief%20from,modern%20times%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Dr.

Deng G, Hou BL, Holodny AI, Cassileth BR. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes and saliva production associated with acupuncture at LI-2 acupuncture point: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2008 Jul 7;8:37. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-8-37. PMID: 18606019; PMCID: PMC2474572.

Pfister DG, Cassileth BR, Deng GE, Yeung KS, Lee JS, Garrity D, Cronin A, Lee N, Kraus D, Shaha AR, Shah J, Vickers AJ. Acupuncture for pain and dysfunction after neck dissection: results of a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2010 May 20;28(15):2565-70. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2009.26.9860. Epub 2010 Apr 20. PMID: 20406930; PMCID: PMC2881730.

Baliga S, Muglikar S, Kale R. Salivary pH: A diagnostic biomarker. J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2013 Jul;17(4):461-5. doi: 10.4103/0972-124X.118317. PMID: 24174725; PMCID: PMC3800408.

https://www.health.com/oil-pulling-7099029#:~:text=Sesame%20and%20coconut%20oil%20are,bacteria%20overgrowth%20in%20your%20mouth.

https://www.yorku.ca/earmstro/journey/care.html

https://www.olbas.com/olbas-remedies/olbas-lozenges/

https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/6-tips-to-improve-enunciation/

Hawkins J, Hires C, Dunne E, Keenan L. Throat Spray With Blended Essential Oils Promotes Healthy Lung Function Among Women: A Randomized, Double Blinded, Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2022 Jan-Dec;27:2515690X221113335. doi: 10.1177/2515690X221113335. PMID: 35849434; PMCID: PMC9297472.

Noda T, Ojima T, Hayasaka S, Murata C, Hagihara A. Gargling for oral hygiene and the development of fever in childhood: a population study in Japan. J Epidemiol. 2012;22(1):45-9. doi: 10.2188/jea.je20100181. Epub 2011 Nov 26. PMID: 22123226; PMCID: PMC3798579.

 

DISCLAIMER:

All content, medical definitions, symptom related language, or medical descriptions included in this article is the author's opinion only and should not be considered to be complete or scientifically accurate, or used as a medical diagnosis and/or advice.

This information is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice given by a medical, specialist or any other medical and health professional. It is only used to start a conversation to gain open communication with your chosen health professional.

Any comments that resemble any person, health condition, or situation is purely coincidental.

I recommend that you do your own independent research on the drug/herb interactions that can be dangerous and affect your treatment plan.  I encourage you to discuss your plan of action, list of all health supplements (in any form), dietary changes, and options you decide to pursue with a qualified licensed professional BEFORE purchasing or taking any natural herbal supplement, vitamin, or make any dietary changes you may consider. My suggestion is to make sure the healthcare professional is educated on the use of natural remedies and their uses: Functional Integrative Specialist and Doctors are a good choice for this purpose.

Any product suggestions or affiliate links with the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program given within this article are the products the author personally used and would suggest as an option for you to research further to include in your possible treatment plan. We use affiliate links to promote the products that have shown positive comments and some personal use and recommendations to create suggestions to help give you choices and create awareness.

The author is not to be held responsible for the choices, opinions, of any third party outside links, blogs, articles, product suggestions that are given by the third party outside links who are responsible for their own content.