SALIVARY SUBSTITUTES

[Drsumitra]

Dry mouth is best described as a lack of saliva. It’s not a medical condition in and of itself, but a side effect or symptom of a medication, treatment or health disorder. Though often seen as more of a nuisance than anything else, dry mouth can greatly impact your day-to-day life, affecting taste, digestion and even dental health. A number of treatments are available to improve the moisture in your mouth, including something known as a saliva substitute.
Saliva substitutes are basically artificial saliva, lubricating and replacing moisture in the mouth. They’re found commercially in sprays, gels, lozenges or mouthwashes. One can also use carboxymethylcellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose.

To Keep Your Mouth Moist

Sip water or other sugar-free juices frequently. It is particularly important to drink often while eating. This will aid chewing and swallowing and may enhance the taste of your food. You can carry a water bottle, like bicycle riders do, during the day and keep a glass of water at your bedside at night. Also, use a humidifier to increase the moisture content of the air in your room.
Stimulate the flow of your saliva
By eating foods which require mastication
By chewing sugarless gum
By using, if possible, acid-tasting, sugarless (diabetic-type) candies..
By “sucking” a cherry or olive pit; or the rind of a lemon or lime.Recent studies have shown that drugs called Pilocarpine (Salagen™) and Cevimeline ( Evoxac™) can decrease your sensation of oral dryness. These drugs are generally taken 3 – 4 times a day, after meals, and their effects usually last from 2 – 4 hours. The side-effects of these medications are generally modest.. These drugs, combined with other methods to stimulate the flow of saliva have made it possible for many people to find relief from their scorched-mouth feeling.

        

[sushantpatel_doc]

Researchers Look for Solution for Dry Mouth in Cancer Patients.

There may be a solution for preventing xerostomia.
XerostoThere may be a solution for preventing xerostomia.

Xerostomia, which is a dry mouth from a lack of saliva, often impacts patients with throat or mouth cancer. A new study indicates that submandibular gland transfer may stop xerostomia, which often is a side effect from radiation.

Xerostomia is a problem because it develops when the salivary glands stop working. University of Alberta researcher Jana Rieger compared xerostomia to what it feels like after undergoing surgery and the anesthesia. The problem with xerostomia is that it’s permanent.

This problem becomes a larger issue when the person’s cancer is in remission. The salivary glands produce the saliva that keep a person’s teeth and mouth healthy. Without saliva, people may lose their teeth or have trouble swallowing or speaking.

The study was conducted by Jana Rieger, a speech language pathologist in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. Rieger analyzed all aspects of the functional outcomes after patients received two types of treatments before and after undergoing radiation.

The first group underwent the submandibular gland transfer, while the second took salagen, an oral drug. Submandibular gland transfer moves the saliva gland from under the angle of the jaw to the chin.

The research showed that the two methods had the same impact regarding a person’s ability to speak.

When it came to swallowing, however, that’s where the difference was. The people who took the submandibular gland transfer had a much easier time than the people who took salagen. That means when eating, a person has to drink a lot more to finish the meal and the person may have difficulty eating hot food. The result is more bathroom trips and possibly avoiding social settings involving a meal.mia, which is a dry mouth from a lack of saliva, often impacts patients with throat or mouth cancer. A new study indicates that submandibular gland transfer may stop xerostomia, which often is a side effect from radiation.

Xerostomia is a problem because it develops when the salivary glands stop working. University of Alberta researcher Jana Rieger compared xerostomia to what it feels like after undergoing surgery and the anesthesia. The problem with xerostomia is that it’s permanent.

This problem becomes a larger issue when the person’s cancer is in remission. The salivary glands produce the saliva that keep a person’s teeth and mouth healthy. Without saliva, people may lose their teeth or have trouble swallowing or speaking.

The study was conducted by Jana Rieger, a speech language pathologist in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. Rieger analyzed all aspects of the functional outcomes after patients received two types of treatments before and after undergoing radiation.

The first group underwent the submandibular gland transfer, while the second took salagen, an oral drug. Submandibular gland transfer moves the saliva gland from under the angle of the jaw to the chin.

The research showed that the two methods had the same impact regarding a person’s ability to speak.

When it came to swallowing, however, that’s where the difference was. The people who took the submandibular gland transfer had a much easier time than the people who took salagen. That means when eating, a person has to drink a lot more to finish the meal and the person may have difficulty eating hot food. The result is more bathroom trips and possibly avoiding social settings involving a meal.

        

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