Why Can I Taste Weed In My Mouth?
If you have been smoking or ingesting marijuana, it's common to continue tasting it in your mouth for hours or even days afterwards. The distinctive herbal and slightly skunky taste of cannabis can linger on the tongue, teeth, gums and throat due to the resinous nature of the plant. Understanding exactly why you can taste weed long after using it can help you manage this side effect.
Marijuana Sticks To Your Mouth
When you smoke, vape or eat cannabis, the active compounds like THC are carried in tiny resin glands called trichomes. These trichomes are sticky, so they adhere to any surface they touch, including your mouth and throat. The resin contains the distinct terpenes and flavonoids that give each marijuana strain its unique smell and taste. As the resin coats your oral cavity, it leaves behind the taste of whatever strain you used.
Smoking and vaping tend to leave more residue behind than other methods. The hot smoke or vapor causes the resin to soften and bind firmly to oral tissues. Edibles leave less residue but can still stick around if the weed taste is strong enough.
Marijuana Lingers In Saliva
There are also cannabis compounds dissolved in your saliva after using weed. Saliva helps trap foreign particles and chemicals as part of the mouth's natural filtration system. When you smoke or ingest marijuana, THC, CBD and other cannabis constituents get taken up by the bloodstream and make their way into your saliva through tiny glands under the tongue.
These compounds can make your saliva taste like weed for a substantial time after using it. How long depends on the dose you took, your metabolism and other factors. Even when the compounds are no longer psychoactive, they can still impact the taste.
It Sticks To The Tongue
The tongue is an especially absorbent place for cannabis compounds to adhere. The tiny bumps on your tongue called papillae contain thousands of taste buds that are optimized to trap chemicals and particles from food or smoke. Weed resin easily sticks to these papillae in the absence of cleaning.
The underside and sides of the tongue tend to hold onto marijuana compounds the most. These areas have larger and more numerous papillae that retain residue. The residue sticks around until the tongue is scrubbed or new saliva washes it away.
Gums And Teeth Hold It
Your gums and teeth also provide surfaces for cannabis compounds to cling to inside the mouth. Gum tissue is porous and absorbs cannabis residue after smoking or eating weed. The compounds can leach back out gradually over hours or days, leaving a lingering taste.
Teeth provide lots of nooks and crannies for trapping sticky weed byproducts. Pits and fissures in the enamel soak up THC, CBD and terpenes. These compounds can re-emerge later when eating or drinking, making your mouth suddenly taste like weed again.
It Stains The Throat
The soft tissue of the throat is another place marijuana compounds tend to stick inside your mouth. Your throat is lined with mucous membranes that help trap foreign particles, including smoke and vapor resin. The compounds can stick to the tissue for a while before finally getting cleared by the body.
Irritation from inhaling hot smoke can also make the throat more absorptive and prone to retaining particles. This can lead to residual throat discomfort and further accentuate the weed taste.
How To Get Rid Of The Taste
If you are looking to get rid of the persistent taste of marijuana in your mouth, there are a few solutions to try:
Brush Your Teeth
Brushing thoroughly with toothpaste can remove a lot of the ganja residue sticking to your teeth, gums and tongue. Make sure to brush the tongue surface as well as the teeth to clear out trapped particles.
Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash can disinfect areas of the mouth and wash away lingering tastes from weed. Choose a minty brand without alcohol for the best taste-masking results. Swish the mouthwash around for 30-60 seconds before spitting.
Chew Gum
Chewing mint or fruit flavored gum can override lingering cannabis tastes in the mouth. It also generates more saliva production, which helps clear residues.
Drink Water
Staying hydrated by sipping water can dilute cannabis compounds and wash them away faster. Drinking lots of water speeds metabolism helping flush cannabinoids from the system.
Eat Citrus, Spices Or Mint
Eating something with a stronger taste can mask or override the flavor of marijuana in the mouth. Try citrus fruits, mints, cloves, cinnamon or other spicy foods.
Use A Neti Pot
If the taste lingers in the back of the throat, try rinsing with a saline neti pot. This can dislodge particles in the nasal cavity and upper throat areas.
Wait It Out
Be patient, as the cannabis taste usually fades on its own over the course of a day or two. Avoiding smoking or eating more marijuana will also help it dissipate faster.
Paying attention to oral hygiene and using breath fresheners can help lessen the inconvenient lingering taste of marijuana. Be sure to drink water, brush and rinse until the bothersome flavor finally fades away.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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