| | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 | Hey guys.
I've been meaning to post about this for a while.
Like many here I use salt & bi-carb mouthwash and brush my teeth after meals. But when i'm out and about with family or friends, or at work during the week I use chewing gum to keep my mouth & teeth clean. (at work i'll still use the mouthwash, but when i'm out it's just water & chewing gum...)
Anyway, I was originally using the biotene chewing gum. But I've been using 'Extra-Sugar free gum' lately. It's alot cheaper. Just wondering if there's any benefit to using Biotene over other chewing gums that are also sugar free? And am I doing myself any harm by not using the Biotene brand? I've only changed to Extra in the past month..
Cheers,
Dave
21 @ diagnosis. Tongue cancer(SCC) non smoker,HPV negative. 11 hour Surgery (30+ glands removed-left side neck dissection, 'jaw split' for 'access'-left side tongue dissection, graft & artery from left thigh for re-construction of tongue.44 rad t'ments.4x cisplatin.no peg.Clear PET scan 12/5/2011!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 | I like the Biotene because even with my pretty dry mouth, it doesn't stick to my teeth. At the end of the day, since I use their toothpaste and mouthwash, I'm not sure that the enzymes in the gum are that much more additive to the whole thing. As long as it is sugar free, and particularly xylitol sweetened (which actually can be helpful in preventing decay), I would go with what you like.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | 5 years out and I still use Biotene.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 | Cheers guys.
I'll stick with my 'extra' gum for now. Sounds like it's fine to keep using it. Better to be safe than sorry.
Thanks again,
Dave
21 @ diagnosis. Tongue cancer(SCC) non smoker,HPV negative. 11 hour Surgery (30+ glands removed-left side neck dissection, 'jaw split' for 'access'-left side tongue dissection, graft & artery from left thigh for re-construction of tongue.44 rad t'ments.4x cisplatin.no peg.Clear PET scan 12/5/2011!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 188 Likes: 1 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 188 Likes: 1 | Almost 8 years out, and still using the Biotene.
I order it through Amazon's Subscribe and Save program and get a pretty decent discount and free shipping. It costs me $18.00 US for 12 boxes, which is approximatley 30% less than the local druggist charges.
Good Health,
Chuck
SCC Stage IV right tonsil T3N3M0. Dx 08/03. Clinical Trial:8 weeks Taxol, Carboplatin then Hydrea, 5FU, IMRT x's 48, SND, Iressa x 2yrs. Now 20 years out and thriving. Dealing with a Prostate cancer diagnosis now. Add a Bladder cancer diagnosis to all the fun.
It's always something
"Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it."
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Dave, there's also xylitol spray and candy available online. I've tried both and while they're no great shakes taste wise, I have the impression that the xylitol is helping. The candy is called Sparx and the spray is Rain Spry oral mist spray. Other than those I chew Trident Xtra care like you.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 82 | Thanks Chuck! I'll have a look on the website. I'd prefer to use biotene if the price is similar so that will work well. Cheers ! I hadn't heard of those David. I'll have a look at those also. The brand of my gum is 'Wrigley's' Extra cheers  Dave
21 @ diagnosis. Tongue cancer(SCC) non smoker,HPV negative. 11 hour Surgery (30+ glands removed-left side neck dissection, 'jaw split' for 'access'-left side tongue dissection, graft & artery from left thigh for re-construction of tongue.44 rad t'ments.4x cisplatin.no peg.Clear PET scan 12/5/2011!
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 92 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 92 | I'm on the xylitol bandwagon, too. I buy the "economy" sized boxes (12 packets) of Orbit at Sam's Club - very good savings over the grocery store prices.
44 at 10-26-2009 Dx; SCC, T2N2b, St.IV BOT; Rt. Tonsil out; PET 11-12-09 (3 spots); 3 rds Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5-FU started 11-19-09; PEG 12-24-09; 7 wks chemo-rads done 03-16-10. 06-28 CT/PET watching 1 node; PEG out; 11-15 CT - larger; 11-23 PET activity up; mrdc 12-21; 04-01-11 CLEAN SCANS! ; March 2018 new SCC - Meet with surgeon 4-4-18
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 54 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 54 | I have used Biotene. But my regular "go to" can't survive without it gum is the Orbit White in bubblemint (sugarfree). It doesn't sting (I can't use peppermint) and whitens .
Last edited by lola7172; 07-28-2011 03:49 PM.
Age 44. Diagnosed at 34 (2006) with T1N0 SCC tongue on right side. Neck dissed & 6 weeks Radiation. 30% tongue removed. Never smoked;
2nd recurrence 1/2013 on left side. Surgery to remove 2/2013 forearm flap/neck dissec T1N0; brachytherapy 4/2013;
3rd recurrence 11/2015 mandibulectomy for jaw bone cancer Stage IV/no lymph node involvement
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | When I first started shopping for gum, having not chewed it since childhood, I was most concerned about where Xylitol sat on the ingredients list. Of the major brands I looked at the Trident Xtra had it listed highest. Ergo, so I think anyway, there must be more of it in there than the Sorbitol et al. Am I wrong about this?
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
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