Without a doubt, nicotine pouches represent the fastest-growing segment in the world of nicotine products today. They have some major benefits that make them unique compared to other forms of nicotine delivery, and they’re widely available in convenience stores and online.
Using a nicotine pouch for the first time, though, might be a bit of a confusing experience for you if you’re used to other types of nicotine products like vapes or traditional cigarettes. How do you use a nicotine pouch correctly? Where do you put it in your mouth, and how long do you keep it in your mouth?
The answer to the final question on that list is that you can keep a nicotine pouch in your mouth as long as you like. The nicotine in the pouch is generally used up within about a half hour, but the flavour may last longer than that – so if you’re still enjoying the experience, there’s no reason to get rid of the pouch.
As with many other things, though, the question of how long you can keep a nicotine pouch in your mouth has a short answer and a more detailed one. If you want to become a master of nicotine pouches, read on. Reading this guide, you’ll learn everything that you need to know.
What Are Nicotine Pouches?
A nicotine pouch is a small pouch filled with white powder consisting primarily of plant fibers, nicotine, flavors, and sweeteners. When you use the pouch, you absorb the nicotine through your mouth as you do with other oral nicotine products. Compared to other types of nicotine products, though, nicotine pouches have some fairly unique benefits.
- Unlike chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches don’t require spitting, so you can use them anywhere.
- Unlike snus, nicotine pouches contain no actual tobacco leaves. In many cases, the nicotine isn’t even derived from tobacco.
- Unlike gums and lozenges, nicotine pouches come in a wide variety of tasty flavours.
- Nicotine pouches are much more affordable than tobacco products. If you’re willing to buy in bulk, you can find nic pouches at some very attractive prices.
How Do You Use a Nicotine Pouch?
The traditional way to use a nicotine pouch is by placing it under your upper lip. If the pouch is very dry, you may need to moisten it with a little saliva.
Within a few seconds, you should begin to feel a tingle from the nicotine. As we mentioned in this article’s introduction, the nicotine typically lasts around a half hour. Whenever you’re ready, you can remove the pouch from your mouth and discard it.
Here are three additional tips that you’ll find useful as you strive to make your experience with nicotine pouches as good as it can possibly be.
- You don’t need to put the pouch in your upper lip if you don’t want to. You can also put it in your lower lip if you like. An important thing to know, though, is that the pouch will be closer to your salivary glands, and the nicotine will be released more quickly as a result. Some people like the additional nicotine burn, and others find that it causes hiccups.
- While you use a pouch, you should move it to a different section of your mouth periodically. Rotating the pouch will help you to avoid gum irritation.
- Nicotine pouches come in many different sizes and thicknesses. Some people prefer a thin pouch that’s almost invisible in the mouth and others like a thicker size that feels more substantial. You’ll need to try several brands in order to determine what you prefer. If you use a thicker pouch, you may need to lightly “chew” the pouch periodically to redistribute the powder.
My Gums Feel Irritated! Did I Keep a Pouch in My Mouth Too Long?
Some people begin using nicotine pouches because they’re trying to quit or cut down on smoking or vaping. If you fall into that group, it’s possible that you’ve never used an oral nicotine product before.
If that’s the case, it’s important to understand that some people experience gum irritation when they begin using pouch-based products like snus and nicotine pouches.
Most people report that the irritation goes away once they’ve become fully accustomed to using the pouches. It’s important to remember that you do need to rotate your pouches periodically to help prevent your gums from feeling sensitive or irritated.
If you do experience gum irritation when you’re new to nicotine pouches, it’s very unlikely that the irritation has anything to do with keeping a pouch in your mouth too long. The much more likely reason is that your gums are still getting used to the sensation of using the pouches.
With that having been said, you should also keep in mind that the flavor can have a large impact on the way a nicotine pouch feels in your mouth – so if you experience persistent gum irritation, it’s worthwhile to consider the possibility that another brand or flavor might be better for your needs.
- Some people find that the coolness of mint flavors helps to prevent or relieve gum irritation from nicotine pouches. It also might be worthwhile to try a mint flavor if you often get hiccups from nicotine pouches even at lower nicotine strengths. However, some people find that the strong cooling effect of mint nicotine pouches can sometimes cause tooth sensitivity.
- More people report gum irritation with cinnamon nicotine pouches than with any other flavor. On the other hand, cinnamon pouches have many fans who find that the burn reminds them of tobacco products. Some people also find the increased punchiness of cinnamon nicotine pouches helpful if they’re trying to reduce their nicotine strength. If you’re experiencing intense gum irritation with cinnamon pouches, though, you should strongly consider trying a different flavor.
It’s also important to consider your nicotine strength if you experience throat irritation or hiccups when using nicotine pouches. Pouches are available in a wide variety of strengths ranging from 2 mg to over 10 mg.
The higher strengths are primarily intended for people who are using very strong oral nicotine products like snus or chewing tobacco and want to quit. If you’re not an oral tobacco user, you’ll probably want to buy lower-strength pouches.
