Five everyday products for dry mouth

If you suffer from mild, moderate or severe dry mouth, you can include some specific products for dry mouth in your daily routine to help you improve the moisture level in your mouth and prevent problems commonly associated with dry mouth.

These five types of products can help you manage dry mouth. These are everyday products manufactured by several brands (Biotène, Dentaid, Lacer, etc.) and they are easily available in pharmacies and online stores.

1) Toothpaste

The specific toothpastes for dry mouth have a softer formulation and ingredients aimed to moisturize the mouth, stimulate saliva production and protect tooth enamel.

These toothpastes usually do not contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), they generate very little foam and contain fluorine and other ingredients such as xylitol, panthenol, vitamins or salivary enzymes.

2) Mouthwash

Rinses or mouthwashes specific for dry mouth are used after brushing the teeth and they have a restorative and moisturizing action. They are not irritating like conventional mouthwashes used to achieve maximum oral hygiene. Mouthwashes for dry mouth moisturize the mouth, prevent wounds in mucous membranes or the tongue, and also remineralize enamel to prevent tooth decay.

They contain no alcohol, sulfates, citric acid or sugar.

In my case, I have moderate xerostomia and I use toothpaste for dry mouth every day, as well as a mouthwash at night for dry mouth, as part of my oral hygiene routine. This way I have less sensation of dry mouth at night and feel less need to drink water.

3) Moisturizing Gel

The gels are applied topically inside the mouth. You extend a small amount of gel with your finger or with your tongue on your gums, teeth and cheeks.

These gels contain moisturizing ingredients to soothe the burning mouth and other ingredients such xylitol and fluoride to remineralize enamel and prevent dental caries.

Gels can be used many times a day as needed and are especially recommended for bedtime, since the sensation of dry mouth at night is very annoying and sometimes can cause sleeping problems.

It is the product that I like and use the least. The gels that I have used not convince me because after a while they left me with a pasty feeling in my mouth. In cases of severe dry mouth, the function of these gels is undoubtedly useful.

4) Oral Spray

Mouth sprays stimulate the production of saliva and can be used at any time to refresh the mouth. Usually they contain a combination of xylitol, fluoride and acid substances that maintain a neutral pH in the mouth.

The sprays have a very convenient format; they are small, discreet, light and can be easily carried in a purse or even in your pocket. They also offer immediate hydration and a pleasant taste that is, slightly acidic to stimulate the salivary glands.

They can be used throughout the day as often as desired.

I usually carry a spray in situations where I can not take my “loyal” bottle of water.

5) Dry mouth lozenges or gum

Chewing gum or sucking lozenges for dry mouth work very well in cases where the salivary glands still function partially. Like sprays, they also stimulate saliva production.

Due to their small format, they are very comfortable to carry in your purse or pocket and go completely unnoticed.

I do not exactly like the taste of the lozenges that I have tried because it reminds me the taste of a drug, which isn’t too pleasant. But the truth is that they leave a long-lasting moisture feeling in the mouth (about 20 minutes in my case) so I always carry some tablets in my purse for a “dryness emergency”.