# Why Do Citrus Fruits Alter The Saliva? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489 "2002-05-23T15:16:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/1 "2002-05-23T15:16:53Z")
Why do citrus fruits alter the consistency of the saliva- making it much thicker- of the person eating them? How does this process work?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zanyl\_Quth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cc9497/32.png) [@Zanyl\_Quth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zanyl_Quth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/2 "2002-05-23T15:30:42Z")
u kno what? I never noticed that…im not sure that happens to me ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/3 "2002-05-23T15:44:02Z")
Really? Is it just me?? When you drink lemonade, and then spit, does your saliva seem thicker to you? ---
**Author:** ![Mephisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@Mephisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mephisto)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/4 "2002-05-23T16:59:38Z")
Certain soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit drinks and chocolate milk have all, from time to time, made it seem as though my saliva were more viscous. Sometimes I figure it is just because of some left-over residue of the drink, but other times the spit-thickening just lasts too long for it to be that. Anyway, **Surreal** , it’s not just you. If **Zanyl Quth** doesn’t know what you’re talking about, perhaps this is just one of those phenomena that only occur with certain individuals. I thought it happened to everyone, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mephisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@Mephisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mephisto)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/5 "2002-05-23T17:02:14Z")
Some acid or something having a chemical reaction with the saliva in your mouth? Some effect certain chemicals have on the saliva glands or their ducts (they have ducts, right?), perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/6 "2002-05-23T17:08:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Surreal \* > \*\* > When you drink lemonade, and then spit, does your saliva seem thicker to you? \*\* You must be fun at a picnic 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Neptune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@Neptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptune)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/7 "2002-05-23T17:10:39Z")
Might this phenomenon be related to why orange juice tastes so goofy after you brush your teeth? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/8 "2002-05-23T17:13:49Z")
After you’ve swallowed the lemonade, how is there any saliva left in your mouth? 😕 I suppose that saliva will slowly begin to trickle back into the mouth after swallowing something, but by then, you’ve already swallowed the lemonade. Saliva is slightly alkaline, and lemonade is acidic (and probably sugary). Looks like we need a chemist in here _quick_! ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/9 "2002-05-23T18:01:04Z")
Experiment- Stand up. Lean over and look down at the ground. Carefully drool- so the spit slowly falls toward the ground. Just before the saliva globule is about to detach itself from the end of the stream, suck it back up into your mouth. How far down did it go? Mine is only a couple of inches. Now drink a tall glass of lemonade (or milk), and repeat the experiment. How far down did it go now? Mine is about 3 feet. Why? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/10 "2002-05-23T18:31:26Z")
**Surreal** must be a _very_ interesting person to hang out with… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/11 "2002-05-23T21:57:40Z")
Regarding the milk, I have no clue. Well, regarding the lemonade, I also have no clue. But I have a WAG. Is this premade lemonade? If so, could the high-fructose corn syrup be to blame for gumming up your mouth? Or does this happen in any citrus encounter? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-citrus-fruits-alter-the-saliva/110489/12 "2002-05-23T22:43:07Z")
I think it happens in any citrus encounter, and in any milk encounter- although not as bad with milk. Most of the artificial fruit drinks as well. In fact, it’s probably just related to the acidity.