Because radiation treatment damaged my salivary glands, I get dry mouth. When I sleep it is worse, because sometimes I open my mouth to sleep better. But I also wake up a few times every night.

Next to my pillow I keep a small basket that contains a small sprayer with plain water, a different-shaped small sprayer that contains Biotene mouth wash, and a tube of Biotene Oral Balance Gel.

When I wake up, what I usually do is spray liberally with water first. Usually 10 sprays. Then I either do two or three sprays with mouth wash, or I squeeze some gel into my mouth. It all depends on how I feel.

The big advantage in this is I don't have to get up or turn on the lights. Nor do I have to keep a glass of water by my bed that I might knock over.

One thing about the gel. For awhile I didn't like using gel. It seemed to gunky. But now it is one of my main solutions, at night and in the car. Because when my mouth gets very very dry, it gives me longer relief. And as it dissolves, it even gives some relief to my throat.