Don't let stress dry out your mouth

During stressful times in our lives - whether it's a big presentation or upcoming test - we tend to clam up from nerves. This is obviously what happened to Senator Marco Rubio during the biggest speech of his life on February 12 after the State of the Union Address from President Barack Obama. Accompanied by nervous twitching for much of his speech, Rubio couldn't help but reach over to sip on water. His dry mouth likely did not ruin his career - although it will be one of his most notable speeches - but it definitely prompted some interesting dinner conversation.

Don't let it happen to you
Have you ever been talking with important clients or in front of a large group of people and feel that your throat starts to tickle? It's not uncommon! This uncomfortable feeling creates even higher nerves, leaving you with only one thing to do: reach for some liquid relief. Stress is a known cause of dry mouth, because your body sends off physical reactions that cause sweating, a raised heartbeat and trembling. Even worse, dry mouth leads to bad breath, making you feel even more self-conscious.

What you can do about it
Stress is sometimes an unavoidable thing that can really hinder your everyday life, but if you can keep yourself calm and composed on a regular basis, stress won't get to you as badly. Take some time each day to just sit and hang out, preferably in a relaxing room without distractions. If you just sit down and breathe, you'll really calm yourself down – I know, it sounds silly. Fitting exercise into your lifestyle will also do wonders for your stress level. When you exercise, you're using physical activity to shed the mind of stressful thoughts. Regularly practicing yoga may be great for the body and mind.

Stay hydrated all day
When you are looking forward to a big meeting or stressful interview, make sure to fill up on water throughout the day. If you keep your mouth and body well hydrated, there's going to be a much lower chance of you developing dry mouth during the meeting. Plus, this will help you get rid of bad breath. Still worried? You'll likely be able to have a glass of water - they even offer it at interviews often - so you can feel comfortable. After all, you're not preparing to go live in front of a national audience.