Biotene Gum

Steve5

Anyone use Biotene sugar free gum or other chewing gums recommended by their docs - other than the use of the gum to help stimulate saliva has anyone been informed bhy their docs or their help teams that chewing is a good exercise for jaw movement and swallowing - just wondering - I am going to pose this question to my team in particular the speech pathologist to see if there is any benefit - I love chewing gum anyway and usually go through a pack at a little league game each week in the summer - thanks for any input

Steve

KTeacher

It helps

Chewing gum definitely helped with the saliva.  I cannot handle mint anymore.  I liked one that had two fruit flavors, can't remember which one.  Teeth and numb half of mouth won't let me chew gum right now.

TracyLynn72

Yep!

My doctors encouraged chewing gum or keeping hard, sour candy in my mouth to produce saliva.  (sugar free of course!)  I had a blocked salivary gland and had to eat lemon candy to get the spit flowing again.  

fishmanpa

Biotene Products

Just an FYI. I read on another OC forum that Biotene has changed the formulas on a lot of their products, eliminating much of the true beneficial qualities they had. This was done, as with most large corporate moves, to make more money as the price hasn't changed but it's cheaper to make without those beneficial ingrediants. In fact, the forum stopped endorsing them.

I use the "Oral Balance" product at night as it helps keep my mouth moist. I was able to get a few tubes of the old formula at my local Rite Aid but you can read the diffence between the two. 

That being said, chewing gum or sucking on a hard candy does help a bit with saliva production and jaw exercise.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T" 

 

 

TracyLynn72

fishmanpa said:

Biotene Products

Just an FYI. I read on another OC forum that Biotene has changed the formulas on a lot of their products, eliminating much of the true beneficial qualities they had. This was done, as with most large corporate moves, to make more money as the price hasn't changed but it's cheaper to make without those beneficial ingrediants. In fact, the forum stopped endorsing them.

I use the "Oral Balance" product at night as it helps keep my mouth moist. I was able to get a few tubes of the old formula at my local Rite Aid but you can read the diffence between the two. 

That being said, chewing gum or sucking on a hard candy does help a bit with saliva production and jaw exercise.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T" 

 

 

Interesting...

about Biotene.  My dentist recommended ACT Flouride rinse for dry mouth over Biotene and that's what I've started using.  I can tell a slight difference.  The Biotene burned (even though it's alcohol free) but the ACT doesn't. 

donfoo

fishmanpa said:

Biotene Products

Just an FYI. I read on another OC forum that Biotene has changed the formulas on a lot of their products, eliminating much of the true beneficial qualities they had. This was done, as with most large corporate moves, to make more money as the price hasn't changed but it's cheaper to make without those beneficial ingrediants. In fact, the forum stopped endorsing them.

I use the "Oral Balance" product at night as it helps keep my mouth moist. I was able to get a few tubes of the old formula at my local Rite Aid but you can read the diffence between the two. 

That being said, chewing gum or sucking on a hard candy does help a bit with saliva production and jaw exercise.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T" 

 

 

no sugar

Just to add to the hard candy comment, make sure it is sugar free. :-)

Ron Silver

donfoo said:

no sugar

Just to add to the hard candy comment, make sure it is sugar free. :-)

Donfoo:
 
28 weeks

Donfoo:

 

28 weeks post-treatment.  I crave sugar, lots and lots of sugar.  Keeping reading about it both ways-not harmful, and harmful.  Gave up tobacco and alcohol (nearly 9 months), now just sugar, lots and lots of sugar.  Not candy-I crave it but just can't eat it-tastes like cardboard.  Just the raw sugar (brown stuff) in my morning coffee (at least 25 teaspoons every morning-12 of the plastic spoonfuls in each glass-about 12 ounces), and ice cream in the evening. Any thoughts.  I know this can't be good.  I also crave tobacco and alcohol. The new normal includes cravings for what I used to eat/drink/do.  Lots of sugar, booze and tobacco.  What did you do to get through this???

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-causes/CA00085/NSECTIONGROUP=2

 

CivilMatt

Dry mouth is real real real

Steve,

Yep, I was given a whole mess of mints, gum and fluoride products.  It was if they were waiting for a H&N patient to walk through the door.

I make use of Xylimelts for real relief and hard candies (sugar and sugarfree) for quick relief.  I also try to have gum and dental picks around to aid cleaning my teeth when my toothbrush is out of reach.  You can find many products with Xylitol in them it seems to help and Biotene products dot my shelves, I’ll try most anything (even going without).

Matt

donfoo

Ron Silver said:

Donfoo:
 
28 weeks

Donfoo:

 

28 weeks post-treatment.  I crave sugar, lots and lots of sugar.  Keeping reading about it both ways-not harmful, and harmful.  Gave up tobacco and alcohol (nearly 9 months), now just sugar, lots and lots of sugar.  Not candy-I crave it but just can't eat it-tastes like cardboard.  Just the raw sugar (brown stuff) in my morning coffee (at least 25 teaspoons every morning-12 of the plastic spoonfuls in each glass-about 12 ounces), and ice cream in the evening. Any thoughts.  I know this can't be good.  I also crave tobacco and alcohol. The new normal includes cravings for what I used to eat/drink/do.  Lots of sugar, booze and tobacco.  What did you do to get through this???

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-causes/CA00085/NSECTIONGROUP=2

 

humm..

Hi Ron,

For certain I can state sugar addiction is better than tobacco and alcohol addiction. I'd also go along with Mayo that sugar does NOT cause or promote cancer.

The point I make is sugar is not good for your teeth, more easily fostering cavities. I think most folks are in the camp that sugars feed bacteria in the mouth that promote cavitites. Dry mouth is another major contributor to cavities. I strive to minimize the amount of simple sugars passing through my mouth. Sugar substitutes include the artifical forms such as the yellow and pink packets. What I use now everyday is blue agave nectar. It is sweeter than sugar by volume but it still does contain simple sugars. It is a compromise between artifical and regular sugar.

The other angle I am working on is the usefulness of alkalinity to inhibit bacteria growth and cavities. Rather than have just plain water to sip during the day, having alkaline water may be better as it would constantly offer a pH that is more healthy. I'll post on this once I complete research on this one. Don

Ron Silver

donfoo said:

humm..

Hi Ron,

For certain I can state sugar addiction is better than tobacco and alcohol addiction. I'd also go along with Mayo that sugar does NOT cause or promote cancer.

The point I make is sugar is not good for your teeth, more easily fostering cavities. I think most folks are in the camp that sugars feed bacteria in the mouth that promote cavitites. Dry mouth is another major contributor to cavities. I strive to minimize the amount of simple sugars passing through my mouth. Sugar substitutes include the artifical forms such as the yellow and pink packets. What I use now everyday is blue agave nectar. It is sweeter than sugar by volume but it still does contain simple sugars. It is a compromise between artifical and regular sugar.

The other angle I am working on is the usefulness of alkalinity to inhibit bacteria growth and cavities. Rather than have just plain water to sip during the day, having alkaline water may be better as it would constantly offer a pH that is more healthy. I'll post on this once I complete research on this one. Don

blue agave nectar
 
Thanks I

blue agave nectar

 

Thanks I will try it.

Ruben and Jude

Biotene

Ruben uses all of the Biotene products. The Biotene gum has been a staple for the past 3 months, at least.