The best over-the-counter products are those which mimic or enhance your own saliva, since natural saliva contains important enzymes and other compounds which protect and mineralize your teeth, reduce "alien" oral bacteria, initiate digestion as well as lubricate food during chewing.

The Biotene (LaClede) products are considered about the best by many, you want to try their "Oral Balance" products, either the new liquid (really, a thin gel) or the older gel in a tube. There are also Oasis products but these do not seem to contain the enzymes that Oral balance does. All of these are available at Target, Wal-Mart and also Rite-Aid (which has bought out Eckerd Drugs). Costs at the former two outlets is about 1/3 to 1/2 less than at the regular drug stores!

Salagen as a medication has been superceded by Evoxac, which works far better per our ENT who herself takes it for her dry mouth resulting from extensive (cobalt) radiation for a head/neck cancer 20 years ago. My husband takes Evoxac, originally 3x a day but now only 1-2x as in last two years his saliva has recovered very well (which does happen, even our ENT said it has gradually gotten better for her over the years). However both of these medications work only if some residual salivary gland function is left (which it should in most cases if IMRT was used and careful radiation planning was done).

Another option is to try to chew one of the xylitol-containing gums, the best probably being XyliMax as is is formulated for dentists to eliminate lingering sugar from mouth after eating, thus reduces dental caries, *and* to increase mouth moisture. The chewing action itself stimulates saliva production. My husband actually prefers to use the gum rather than any OTC product if his mouth feels dry. The Fruit flavor is less irritating to a sensitive mouth.

Saliva production can improve over time, sometimes this can be sudden, sometimes more gradual -- my husband notes that he chews far less gum now than in the past (now mostly just after eating) and drinks no more water with dinner now than I do. But it has been a gradual process....

Gail