Ask the Doctor: What causes boogers?

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Question: What causes boogers?

Answer: Your mouth, nose, and throat work together to create a slimy substance called mucus, which is actually very beneficial. Because mucus is so sticky, it can trap some of the bad stuff you breathe in – pollen, viruses, germs, dirt, dust, bacteria – and stop large amounts of those things from getting into your lungs, and from there into your bloodstream.

Believe it or not, your body produces about a quarter of a gallon of mucus, every single day. Most of it just gets swallowed and sent to your stomach. But some of it stays in your nose, acting as a biological filter. When the air coming into your nostrils starts to dry that mucus out, the mucus turns into boogers.

Boogers are nothing more than the dried-up result of the highly beneficial mucus your body produces. When you want to clear your nose of boogers, along with the contaminants they contain, don’t pick them out with your fingers, and definitely don’t eat them. Instead, blow your nose gently into a tissue, and throw the tissue away.