Dry Mouth

stayingcalm said:

Stuff that might help
This is what Chemocare has to say on the subject, with brand names & all!

Things you can do for treating dry mouth:
Keep mouth and lips moist:

* Rinse mouth with water frequently (every 2 hrs while awake & when awake during the night). May add salt or baking soda (1/2 to 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water).
* Use saliva substitute (commercially available).
* Biotene® products can be purchased without a prescription. Products available for treating dry mouth are; mouthwash, toothpaste, as well as, chewing gum that has the pH of saliva.
* Oralbalance® moisturizing gel can be applied to the mouth or tongue and acts as a moisturizing coat.
* Apply lip moisturizer often (i.e. Chapstick®).
* Suck on tart hard candies (lemon drops, Jolly Ranchers®). Watch sugar content with candy - can produce cavities.
* Use cool mist room humidifier at night in the bedroom. A humidifier on the furnace doesn't provide enough humidity for treating dry mouth.

As far as the hard candies go, I know Jolly Rancher makes good sugarless candy, so do Lifesavers.

dry mouth
Many commercial products such as oral sprays or mouth washes have on their labels, "to stimulate" saliva production. Unfortunately, we cancer survivors who had radiation therapy have a more permanent condition because the radiation has destroyed the saliva producing cells, therefore, there is little of nothing to stimulate. Saliva is 95-99% water. This water is used to "wet" the mouth tissues. The other 1-5% are chemicals used to fight bacteria, protect the enamel, and form a bolus around solid foods to assist in swallowing.

These commercial products may help in swallowing or fighting bacteria but are not much relief for dry mouth.

I developed a medical device called the XEROS Dry Mouth Pump. It consistently wets the mouth, its tissues by pumping tiny amounts of water based on how you program the device. For instance it can pump for 10 seconds every 15 minutes or 8 seconds every 8 minutes or however you want it to run that works best for you.

I have been using the XEROS Dry Mouth Pump for over 2 years now and it has had a dramatic impact on the quality of my life. Just google dry mouth pump to learn more or go to drymouthpump.com to stop suffering and start living!

When eating, always keep a glass of water at the ready. After the initial couple of chews, add some water to your mouth and continue chewing. Add water as necessary to swallow.

Your condition should improve with time, though 2 1/2 years since my treatment, I still have to use water to wash the food down toward the end of a meal or anytime I eat bread. Starchy food also tends to turn gummy and requires water to break it up to swallow.

Good luck.

ps. As much as I used to love a PB&J sandwich or peanut butter and Ritz Crackers, I had to swear them off. Then again, I wear dentures.