xylitol for dry mouth!!!

Irishgypsie
Irishgypsie Member Posts: 333
edited April 2011 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hey folks, hope all is well tonight!! Just wanted to share some info. I know most of you use Biotene that has some xylitol in it; but it doesn't specify how much. We should be getting about 5-6gm a day!!I find that chewing gum really helps with the dry mouth and it helps exercise the jaw!! I'm using a xylitol gum that has 1gm of xylitol per piece. Xylitol is suppose to help fight cavities big time. It works by producing saliva and cutting down the acid build up!! I use epic; but there are others. It can't hurt right???

Also, found a new shake. It's called orgain a little expensive, about 27.00$ a case of 12 but it's suppose to be all organic. I really like the vanilla. Take care!!

Charles

Comments

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #2
    Thanks for the info!
    I can chew gum now! I can chew gum now! Couldn't do it before! I have incrementally a teeny tiny bit more SPIT! Yay! And, I'm thinking it helps with my edema, too.

    Deb
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Thanks
    TY Charles, where do you get the shake....

    Give Abby a hug, keep on keepin on brother,
    John
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #4
    Thanks
    The gum is Epic? where do you get it? You can also buy Xylitol at health food stores, in the sweetener section (haven't tried it).

    I chew Orbit gum, which also has xylitol, but maybe not a lot (it lists other sweeteners "above" the xylitol).
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #5
    Pam M said:

    Thanks
    The gum is Epic? where do you get it? You can also buy Xylitol at health food stores, in the sweetener section (haven't tried it).

    I chew Orbit gum, which also has xylitol, but maybe not a lot (it lists other sweeteners "above" the xylitol).

    Good info
    Would like to hear more about the guma and shakes too...where to get and such.
    All the best to you from another dry mouth guy !
    Steve
  • Irishgypsie
    Irishgypsie Member Posts: 333
    #6
    hawk711 said:

    Good info
    Would like to hear more about the guma and shakes too...where to get and such.
    All the best to you from another dry mouth guy !
    Steve

    Info.
    The gum I bought online. I tried the mouthwash and toothpaste as well; But I didn't really like them. However, I do like the gum and I got it in fruit flavor; the spearmint is to harsh for me! A friend of mine also recommended xellies; but it only has .75mg of xylitol, epic has 1 gm. IMPORT: KEEP AWAY FROM DOGS!!!

    I don't know for sure if it will help, since I'm new to this like most of you, but hopefully it will help keep the cavities away!!!

    The orgain I buy at wegmans for 27.00 a case. You can buy it online but it is more expensive. it doesn't make sense, you would think it would be cheaper! I go through a case a week. I'm trying to do two a day; I was getting tired of ensure!! I'm also doing bolthouse farms green goodness and carrot juice. I bought a juicer but juicing sucks, it gets old very fast. I need to get rich and have a personal chef.



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Medical-Testing-in-the-Progressive-Dental-Office.pdf



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Putting-Patients-First.pdf



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Xylitol-for-Dry-Mouth.pdf
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #7
    Irishgypsie said:

    Info.
    The gum I bought online. I tried the mouthwash and toothpaste as well; But I didn't really like them. However, I do like the gum and I got it in fruit flavor; the spearmint is to harsh for me! A friend of mine also recommended xellies; but it only has .75mg of xylitol, epic has 1 gm. IMPORT: KEEP AWAY FROM DOGS!!!

    I don't know for sure if it will help, since I'm new to this like most of you, but hopefully it will help keep the cavities away!!!

    The orgain I buy at wegmans for 27.00 a case. You can buy it online but it is more expensive. it doesn't make sense, you would think it would be cheaper! I go through a case a week. I'm trying to do two a day; I was getting tired of ensure!! I'm also doing bolthouse farms green goodness and carrot juice. I bought a juicer but juicing sucks, it gets old very fast. I need to get rich and have a personal chef.



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Medical-Testing-in-the-Progressive-Dental-Office.pdf



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Putting-Patients-First.pdf



    http://drellie.com/pdfs/Xylitol-for-Dry-Mouth.pdf

    it can't hurt
    teeth, anyway. High consumption can cause gas and bloat, but everyone's limit is different, and your limit starts to slide up as you use more, so there's a case for starting slow and adding.

    It does indeed inhibit the cavity-making bacteria, mostly by starving them, and it makes normal saliva a beter environment for remineralization of the teeth (don't know if it does the same for mouths with depleted saliva). It was extracted for a long time from birch trees in Norway/Finland/Sweden and you can still buy "real birch candy" there. Most of it is now made, of course, from corn.

    One other caution - it doesn't inhibit cavities when fructose is present; the bacteria will happily munch on the fructose and ignore the xylitol, whereas in a xylitol/glucose mix, they will try to do the opposite and starve.

    I'm glad it's helping you - I never tried it because Doug doesn't chew gum, but I had wondered.

    BTW, a lot of folks lost their "sweet" taste buds. Do you think you taste xylitol's sweetness better than sugar's?
  • Irishgypsie
    Irishgypsie Member Posts: 333
    #8
    DrMary said:

    it can't hurt
    teeth, anyway. High consumption can cause gas and bloat, but everyone's limit is different, and your limit starts to slide up as you use more, so there's a case for starting slow and adding.

    It does indeed inhibit the cavity-making bacteria, mostly by starving them, and it makes normal saliva a beter environment for remineralization of the teeth (don't know if it does the same for mouths with depleted saliva). It was extracted for a long time from birch trees in Norway/Finland/Sweden and you can still buy "real birch candy" there. Most of it is now made, of course, from corn.

    One other caution - it doesn't inhibit cavities when fructose is present; the bacteria will happily munch on the fructose and ignore the xylitol, whereas in a xylitol/glucose mix, they will try to do the opposite and starve.

    I'm glad it's helping you - I never tried it because Doug doesn't chew gum, but I had wondered.

    BTW, a lot of folks lost their "sweet" taste buds. Do you think you taste xylitol's sweetness better than sugar's?

    It's a matter of taste! :)
    Not sure if I taste the xylitol better than regular sugar. If I had to guess my taste is about 90% and I am at the 10 month mark. I wonder if it makes a difference in taste recovery in patients that had tonsil like myself vs. base of tongue pt's???
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #9
    Irishgypsie said:

    It's a matter of taste! :)
    Not sure if I taste the xylitol better than regular sugar. If I had to guess my taste is about 90% and I am at the 10 month mark. I wonder if it makes a difference in taste recovery in patients that had tonsil like myself vs. base of tongue pt's???

    I still cannot chew gum, or
    I still cannot chew gum, or suck on hard candy. It hurts my tongue too much. I miss gum. Also xylitol hurts my stomach and gives me the runs if I have too much.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
    sweetblood22 said:

    I still cannot chew gum, or
    I still cannot chew gum, or suck on hard candy. It hurts my tongue too much. I miss gum. Also xylitol hurts my stomach and gives me the runs if I have too much.

    Gum

    I love chewing gum but sometimes have problems with biting the inside of my mouth, but I still chew it when I can, will give Xylitol and try and see.

    Thanks for the info
    Hondo
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #11
    Hondo said:

    Gum

    I love chewing gum but sometimes have problems with biting the inside of my mouth, but I still chew it when I can, will give Xylitol and try and see.

    Thanks for the info
    Hondo

    Salese
    My dentist at the cancer centre gave me a sample of a package of soft lozenges called Salese. They also have Xylitol listed as an ingredient & are slow to dissolve & can last about an hour. Kills bacteria maintain's normal ph & is also sugar & alcohol free. She ordered them from the US. I use them frequently as they really help with dry mouth. I appreciate how she is alway's sourcing a product that help's with dry mouth issues.
  • tnsilcncer
    tnsilcncer Member Posts: 64
    #12
    Xylitol
    After much label reading, Trident (can I give a name brand on here?) has Xylitol AND it does help with dry mouth! I'm chewing gum again for the first time in 5 months! YIPEE!!! Thank you so much for the info!

    Hugs!
    Karen
  • BrianKrashpad
    BrianKrashpad Member Posts: 188
    #13
    tnsilcncer said:

    Xylitol
    After much label reading, Trident (can I give a name brand on here?) has Xylitol AND it does help with dry mouth! I'm chewing gum again for the first time in 5 months! YIPEE!!! Thank you so much for the info!

    Hugs!
    Karen

    xylitol
    I probably should be doing this, although I'm one of the lucky ones who still has one functioning saliva gland.

    Thanks for the info peeps.

    Be well.

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