'Moisture for the larynx is like grease for a ball-bearing. You need it for the vocal folds to vibrate well,' says John Rubin, an ENT surgeon and president elect of the British Voice Association.
No liquids touch the vocal cords, but they are lubricated by a salivalike fluid made by nearby glands.
The body must be kept hydrated enough to make this lubrication. Sipping 1.5 litres of water a day at intervals of 15 minutes is vital, says speech therapist Dr Epstein.
AVOID SPICY FOOD
We may not feel or taste it, but a common cause of damage to the voice is acid reflux.
It irritates and dries out the throat, says Mr Rubin. The vagus nerve in the neck also reacts to the acid by making the lubricating saliva more sticky, meaning it is harder for the vocal cords to vibrate.
Signs of silent reflux are throat clearing, a croaky lower voice in the morning and the feeling of having a lump in the throat.
Mr Rubin advises avoiding foods with an irritating effect on the stomach, such as onions, chilli, fizzy drinks and chocolate: 'Avoid eating two hours before bed to allow time for digestion.'
TALK REGULARLY
Simply staying sociable and using your voice is vital.
'As older people get less mobile, they stop going out,' says Dr Epstein. 'They can become socially isolated and speak less.
'The elderly need to interact more by joining social clubs or pursuing interests. By using the vocal cords, they delay ageing.'
SING IN THE SHOWER
This is one of the best ways to preserve your voice, as it keeps the larynx muscles strong while the steam lubricates the voice box.
'Singing is gymnastics for the voice,' says Andrew McCombe. 'The control and neuro-muscular co-ordination you need means the voice is being used in a good way.'
Joining a choir is one of the best ways to preserve a youthful tone, says Dr Epstein. 'Professional singers' voices take longer to age as they keep the muscles strong.'
DON'T SHOUT
Shouting can inflame the vocal cords, making them harder to close properly. If they repeatedly 'bang' together, it can lead to callous- like growths called nodules.
These make the larynx work harder, causing muscle tiredness and discomfort. Teachers, City traders and telephone workers are prime candidates for damaging their voices.
'It's estimated the vocal cords of female primary school teachers can go through one million cycles of vibrations a day - a huge number,' says Mr Rubin.
People who work in noisy pubs, restaurants and factories or shout at football games are at risk. Mr Rubin recommends anyone who shouts a lot at work rest their voice for five minutes every hour.
People shouldn't strain their voice when out socialising, adds Mr Rubin. 'Don't talk to someone more than an arm's length away.'
Although unusual, one loud shout can be enough to cause a vocal haemorrhage, which can permanently damage the voice.
KEEP YOUR TEETH
When you lose teeth, the jaw bone starts to waste away, the shape of the face begins to collapse inwards and, as a result, the muscles do not work as well to formulate speech. The tongue is adept at moving upwards and forward in the mouth to make the 't' sound.
IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE
Good posture is essential to keeping the voice young - slumping causes the entire vocal tract to change, preventing deep breathing and making the vocal cords work harder to make a sound.
This can be quickly fixed by standing properly, says Mr Rubin. To test this, he suggests standing straight, saying 'e' and then moving the head forward, holding the note - 'this will demonstrate the changes bad posture can cause'.
Exercise, such as pilates, which strengthens the abdominal muscles, helps you take deeper breaths as it means there is better airflow through the voice box, producing a stronger tone.
CUT BACK ON SMOKING
Smoking is disastrous, drying up the inside of the larynx and stopping the vocal cords working.
Nicotine also exacerbates gastric reflux, while the heat from cigarette smoke can scar the vocal cords, causing a rough rasping quality. Alcohol can inflame the mucous membranes that line the throat.
'A single glass of wine with a meal is probably not harmful to the larynx, but anything more is too much,' says Mr Rubin.
REST THE THROAT
The vocal cords can be scarred if you use your voice during a bad cough. If you have a case of laryngitis with a cold, you should rest your voice for a day or two, Mr Rubin says: 'Scarring on the vocal colds means when they heal they may not vibrate so well - your voice will sound rough and you may lose your upper register, possibly permanently.'
If your voice is hoarse for longer than two weeks then it's time to seek medical advice, says Mr Rubin.
There are more than 100 voice clinics in the UK where people with voice problems can be seen by an ENT surgeon and a speech and language therapist, who teach exercises to revive the voice.
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