Cough drops before Holy Communion?

[keri6789]

I was wondering this but never really remembered to ask it until I start getting that sore scratchy throat. Is it wrong to suck on cough drops before Holy Communion? I don’t mean sucking on one then taking it out and sticking it in your hand as you walk up to receive Holy Communion. When my throat gets sore I cough like crazy and the only way to keep from having coughing fits is to suck on cough drops. Does that voliate the 1 hour fast before receiving Holy Communion? I know its wrong to eat anything during Mass but it is it wrong to suck on a cough drop to keep from coughing through the whole entire thing?

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I was wondering this but never really remembered to ask it until I start getting that sore scratchy throat. Is it wrong to suck on cough drops before Holy Communion? I don’t mean sucking on one then taking it out and sticking it in your hand as you walk up to receive Holy Communion. When my throat gets sore I cough like crazy and the only way to keep from having coughing fits is to suck on cough drops. Does that voliate the 1 hour fast before receiving Holy Communion? I know its wrong to eat anything during Mass but it is it wrong to suck on a cough drop to keep from coughing through the whole entire thing?

Cough drops are form of medication, & meds don’t break the fast, as they are not a form of food.​

If they were used as a sweet (& not as something one needed), then they would function as a form of food - but not otherwise.

Hope that helps

 

[Teelynn]

Never dawned on me as at times before leaving out the door for mass I will insert a tic tac. (I hate to have coffee breath when I go into mass) Maybe I should use mouthwash instead?? I guess I never considered breaking the fast with tic tacs as they are not really food but???

 

[rwoehmke]

Never dawned on me as at times before leaving out the door for mass I will insert a tic tac. (I hate to have coffee breath when I go into mass) Maybe I should use mouthwash instead?? I guess I never considered breaking the fast with tic tacs as they are not really food but???

TicTacs are like tooth Paste etc. and are not considered food. I suppose though some kids eat them like candy.

 

[G_S]

I think it would not be right to simply state that tic tacs and cough drops are okay. We are not looking for the minimum here. I don’t think it would be justified to suck on cough drops simply because of the discomfort of a dry throat. Fasting is generally not comfortable. However, if one truly starts coughing like crazy, there is a good argument for using them. Try removing it when you enter the church. I think if others notice that you are using cough drops, it might be more difficult for parents to tell their children that they cannot eat candy in church before Communion. Talk to your confessor but I think that using tic tacs is difficult to justify unless you have a particular medical condition that makes your breath unusually bad. If it’s just run-of-the-mill bad breath, try gargling with a strong mouthwash before leaving for Mass.