– what causes that white build up you get in the corners of your mouth when it’s dry?

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– what causes that white build up you get in the corners of your mouth when it’s dry?

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7 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The what? I have never gotten this.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Dentist here. You have two types of saliva – mucoid saliva which is thick and ropey and serous saliva which is thin and watery. That sticky build up at the corners of your mouth is just an accumulation of mucoid saliva.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Saliva is composed of many things, but primarily, [salts](https://www.thejpd.org/article/S0022-3913(01)54032-9/fulltext#:~:text=Saliva%20is%20composed%20of%20a,such%20as%20urea%20and%20ammonia.)

I would wager the mineral composition is likely what makes dried saliva white in color, as you are seeing the salts precipitate out of solution.

OP specifically asked about dryness, but many others have commented about infection or angular chelitis. Like other skin infections/conditions, there are many causes of irritation, which is what angular chelitis is. This can range from oral thrush (yeast) to eczema, or viral causes like HSV to name a few. There are other sources of angular chelitis.

Without irritation or abnormal white buildup in the mouth, it’s salt, folk.

Anonymous 0 Comments

That does not sound normal, sounds like an infection. If you can, you should see your doctor and not Reddit

Anonymous 0 Comments

I always have this problem. I’m on meds that make my mouth dry. I drink sweet and sour beverages to help me

Anonymous 0 Comments

i’m not a doctor but believe it’s usually just dried saliva from dehydration and dry mouth.

but i guess it can be a symptom of a fungus infection

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s fungal bacteria from dried saliva.

I researched “Angular cheilitis” yesterday and that fungal bacteria is one of the causes.