Dry mouth

CherieLW,

The combination of solutions for dry mouth are many. The Dry Mouth will be a problem during treatments and afterwards. What I type here are the things that I did while going thru treatment and after. Others will post what worked or didn't work for them. This is one hurdle we all face.

It was suggested to me by my Nurses to make a combination of 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 quart of room temperature water. I would sip, rinse, gargle, and spit this as often as needed to take any edge off of the discomfort that I might have at that time. I increased this solution to 1 Tablespoon of each in the later weeks of radiation. I also used the Bioteen Dry mouth spray during the day to coat my mouth as I had no saliva at all. Today, I still have no saliva, but continue to use the Dry Mouth Spray. I also would sip during the day, cups of coffee with half and half in it, the half and half seemed to put a small coating in my mouth and throat for a spell.

Your Dad will need to try different things for now to coat his mouth during the day and night. Biotene mouthwash helps also just before bed. Unfortunately, this is not a cure all and also hopefully his saliva returns shortly after treatments are completed. Things have improved since I had my radiation for the better as I continue to read many here getting their saliva back quickly. Although water is good for us, it at times doesn't do the job of solving the dry mouth feeling and we just need a coating of something to carry us thru this.

My Best to Both of You and Everyone Here

To MarineE5...

Biotene Products, Stoppers4..., and my swish and spit was Hydorgen Peroxide/Baking Soda mix in a little water...

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot that will work, and eventually even water will taste like sweat..., or maybe dirty soaked sock water...

A few have experimented around with various gums and hard candies...

Like most everything else, this to will pass with time.

JG

fishmanpa said:

Filters

I had the issue of water tasting like "dirty soaked sockwater" as John so eloquently described. I believe it's a reaction to the chemicals in the water. I didn't have that issue with bottled water so we went and purchased a filter for the faucet. That took care of the issue for me.

"T"

LOL, once I washed my socks regularly, it cleared the water right up for me also..., LOL.

CherieLW said:

MarineE5,
Thank you for the

MarineE5,

Thank you for the tips.  I appreciate it as I feel like this is the only way I can help dad through trtments.  How long ago was it you had to go through treatments?  I hope that you are feeling better!  

Best wishes to you also! 

Cherie

Cherie,

To answer your question about how long ago it was that I went thru treatments, the answer is roughly 8 3/4 yrs ago. I had the IMRT radiation and did not receive any suggestions for saving my saliva. Since my Rad's, I have read on here of other patients being offered med's to help with that problem. Also, since my Rad's the machinery has improved to be more percise on the targeted areas.

You have to forgive me on forgetting the name of a certain lollipop that has some Med's in them to ease the discomfort of the sores in the mouth and throat if they develope during your Dad's treatments. I am sure someone here knows that name of them and will reply. I did not use them as I was unaware of them during my treatments.

My Best to You, Your Dad and Everyone Here

CivilMatt said:

dryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy mouth

Cherie,

I tell you it is like no dry mouth you can imagine, dry, dry, dry and too much water seems to exacerbate the dryness.

All the suggestion above are good, I am currently in the Xylimelt club and did not join till after treatments. As Marine mentioned, you have to find what works for your Dad, we are all kind of hit and miss with our solutions. Example, I only drink pure Oregon water and it never tasted salty or like old sweat socks; then again I could not taste.

No more parched H&N members.

Matt

Matt,

I guess you are not kidding about pure Oregon water. It triggered another theory I am chasing down and that has to do with water. Plain water for me often times stings my tonue. You know the story about how sensitive my tongue is so I now use a light mix of muscle milk as my daily "sipping" liquid. Actually better than plain water as I get a little protein boost, making protein ingestion for me a 24/7 event.

It got me thinking how much reaction to the water may be based on acitity so I got a pack of ph test strips from my neighbor who owns a bio lab. The tap water which is high quality is alkaline so not too sure if that makes the difference. I bougth some special bottle water named +essentia that is marketed as a super hydrating water and has a ph pf 9.5. It goes down fine. Just curious if this has come up before and what general ph levels of liquids do most feel comfortable.

Parallel to this topic is the one about using some fresh lemon juice in the water and that actually has the effect of raising ph, and then making lemon water more easy on the pallet, make any sense?

Bottled water worked for me. It was like growing up leaving the house and Mom would say "where's your belt get back there and put a belt on your leaving the house half dressed". During radiation I had bottled water (and a belt) with me at all times. The Biotene for me wasn't worth the money because it did the same as water, a short term temporary fix. But it does work for some which takes us back to our lived by theory, you have to find what works for you.

I am sitting here scratching my head wondering how "T" and John know how sock water tasted in the first place. Mom threatened me with soap but never sock water. I'm thinking sock water with a Jameson chaser. It may not help but it certainly ain't going to hurt.

Enjoy the day

      Jeff