A \”big mouth\” is generally seen as an undesirable trait. We don\’t take it as a compliment if somebody tells us, \”You and your big mouth!\”

When doing a long ride, such as a century, we really need our mouths, no matter what their size. We have to keep the food supply coming if we want to keep rolling!

This, unfortunately, can cause problems in the form of mouth and gum discomfort. The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling goes into this matter on page 192-193. One legendary long-distance rider covered the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail in only 18 days. Afterwards, he commented that, \”The sorest thing was my mouth.\”

Part of this problem could be a dry mouth. Another is foods high in acid (such as fruit pies), or sweet/sugary foods. (Here\’s looking at you, GU-Gel). I suspect that rice cakes that stick all over the teeth are another culprit.

How can we keep this problem at bay? I suppose one thing that could help is not to gulp a sip of water right down. Swish it around your mouth a little before swallowing.

Some riders doing multi-day tours will bring along a small bottle of mouthwash to use if needed. Regular oral hygiene, aka flossing and brushing, are of course important. So many products are on the market that I\’m not going to recommend any particular one. The choice is yours. Ask your dentist for advice if needed.

As for all the stories, reports, and so on going around about the current COVID-19 crisis: we\’d be wise to keep the big mouth shut.