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.

Good ideas. Another reason for dry mouth is that the salivary glands basically cease production when sleeping. There are snoring chin stats that help keep the mouth closed when sleeping or some use tape. Another is using a humidifier.

My problem is my nose gets stuffed up and so my mouth opens so I can breath.

There are also adhesive strips that help to keep the nostrils open a little wider and I just saw something recently that fit inside the nostrils that do the same thing and don't requite the breathe-right strips across the nose. My son had two kinds of humidifiers, and I'm not sure which one he found was better but I think it was one that used water. And he slept in a recliner or with his head elevated on the couch. Seems like the nose get stuffy quicker if you are in a more reclining position. He had a plant mister which has a finer spray than a regular spray bottle. You can get these at a garden shop but they are more expensive than the regular spray bottles.

I find that sometimes when I climb into bed, those cold covers make my nose want to stop up. What works for me is to pull the covers up over my head and breath under the covers for a few minutes. The warm air reopens both nostrils and warms up those cold sheets. Then I can come out from under the covers and go to sleep normally.

I don't think I open my mouth while sleeping but apparently I have started drooling during sleep. Many a time I wake up and the the pillow case next to my mouth is wet. I never drooled before treatment.

Lastly, I seem to have lots of sinus drainage that dries in my throat during the night. I wake up every morning feeling like my throat is coated in dried glue. Warm water gargles loosen it up and then it's a bunch of hacking and spitting to clear all that gunk. During the day it seems I have a lot of very sticky rope mucous, hard to clear out. Fortuntely my throat is not burned up from radiation so it doesn't hurt to hack.

Oh well, life goes on.

Tony

Anything cold, as in sheets,air, etc., to the chest will increase secretions in the lymphatic system. Once warm they reduce. In compromised area the lymphatic draining isn't happening like before. This probably causes that stopped up nose. Proper lubrication of the nose in the evening before bed is the best thing you can do. Either a saline mist around .5% or a eucalyptus type herbal inhaler can keep it moist and open. If you are good before bed, you will sleep better.

If you're a mouth breather you're kind of screwed. I'm 11 years out and I still use a humidifier (I'm not a mouth breather). Still get dry mouth. You will pay the price for anything salty you eat, so don't eat pizza before you go to bed. If you're fresh out of Tx, and had targeted RT, then your parotids should recover in about 18 months or so (except the one immediately in the radiation field). Water helps, but it doesn't act as a substitute for the enzymes found in saliva. Products that mimic the enzymes may help, especially to protect your teeth. Many medications will also cause dry mouth as well (even a saline IV drip). Saliva is one thing we take for granted until we don't have it then we realize just how important it is...

Gary,

Have you tried PerioSciences hydration products. The dental gel has an antioxidant as well as xylitol. You put a bead between the lips and gum, top and bottom. Keeps the lips to the back taste buds on the tongue lubed. ProVantage Dental Gel is the product name.

Dr. John xylitol candy does an incredible job also. 2 mg/piece.

[quote=Uptown]
Have you tried PerioSciences hydration products. The dental gel has an antioxidant as well as xylitol. You put a bead between the lips and gum, top and bottom. Keeps the lips to the back taste buds on the tongue lubed. ProVantage Dental Gel is the product name.

Dr. John xylitol candy does an incredible job also. 2 mg/piece. [/quote]

Assuming you tried both, how does the provantage gel compare to the biotene oral balance gel?

Andrew, in case you missed the October thread...the Biotene products have all been changed and the active ingredients removed. Biotene is not what it used to be and isnt comparable to anything anymore.

Biotene Changed thread

Andrew,

The old Biotene gel was the bomb. An old OCF member from a decade ago used the gel for scuba diving. He insisted slathering that stuff on made the dry tank air and underwater experience unchanged from before surgery and chemorads. The ProVantage gel is a different approach. It only takes a small amount and you spit it out while it settles in vs putting it all over the inside of the mouth.

For me, ProVantage generates a lot more "bubbly" aerated saliva. I have completely lost the ability to secret saliva from my left parotid. It just swells up and I spend a lot of time throughout the day squeezing the nerve that goes through the salivary gland to empty it so I reduce chances of infection. I use the product every time I brush plus I suck on xylitol candy through the day.

PerioSciences offered a 50% discount a while back for oral cancer survivors just for their small travel size (Chapstick size) for $12. You can check out their website and the hydrating products. I am involved in a study of theirs through my dental oncologist who is also a big supporter of OCF. He will be speaking at an upcoming OCF walk.

Thanks for the tip Ed, PM me and tell me how you escaped from hospice!

Thanks for the heads up about the biotene formula change. I had to stop using the spray because it burned. I have some gel toothpaste, some PBF mouthwash, and oral balance gel and I don't feel any change. Perhaps they are the old formulas (I tend to stock up). I'll have to look more closely.

I just took a look at my Biotene Oral Balance Gel. The tube I'm using says "Contains protein enzyme system..." but the two I bought after that (still in the closet) don't. They say "New improved pH balance." Which means they dropped the enzymes.

This is very disappointing. When I first started using dry mouth products I tried just about every product I could find, and only the Biotene ones worked. Some of the others actually made my mouth dryer after the initial few minutes.