Get answers to commonly asked Biotène® questions.
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Dry Mouth and Saliva
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Dry mouth can describe both the feeling of dry mouth (xerostomia) and the physical reduction in the flow of saliva (hyposalivation). Dry mouth can be caused by many things, including: medications, disease, radiation illness, aging or even stress. Consistent dry mouth not only can impact your quality of life by making it difficult to swallow and speak, but also it can negatively impact your Oral Health. In fact consistent dry mouth can result in an increase in dental decay, plaque, periodontal disease, gingivitis and other oral irritations. Take note that Biotene is not indicated for all of these symptoms.
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Symptoms of Dry Mouth include:*
- A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth
- Problems chewing, swallowing, tasting and speaking*
- Bad breath
- Cracked Lips*
- Dry irritated tongue
- Mouth sores*
- Sleep interruptions due to thirst*
- Gum inflammations*
- Difficulty wearing dentures*
- Dry throat
*Biotène® not indicated for all of these symptoms.
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There are a number of factors which could cause Dry Mouth. A few of the most common are:
- Side effect of medication – More than 500 medications can cause the salivary gland to product less saliva and therefore lead to Dry Mouth.
- Multiple Medications – The more medications taken, the more likely you are to have Dry Mouth.
- Disease – Some diseases affect the salivary glands. i.e. Sjogren’s Syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.
- Radiation therapy – The salivary glands can be damaged if exposed to radiation during cancer treatment.
- Chemotherapy – Drugs used to treat cancer can make the saliva thicker, causing the mouth to feel dry.
- Nerve damage – Injury to the head or neck can damage the nerves that tell the salivary glands to make saliva.
About Biotène® Products
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The Biotène® range provides an extensive line of products that are specially designed for consumers with dry mouth symptoms. The range allows consumers to choose the right product or group of products to fit their lifestyle preferences and dry mouth symptom severity. As the severity of dry mouth symptoms can vary widely among individuals, a single recommended regimen does not suit everybody. Read the product labels, visit our website or speak to a HCP to assist you to make your choice about which products in the range to use.
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The Biotène® moisturizing products (Oral Rinse, Gel and Spray) contain humectants (substances that help to retain water in the underlying tissues) and lubricants (substances that create a physical coating) to help moisturize and lubricate your mouth. Water does "moisturize", but it is brief due to lack of humectants. However, we certainly do not discourage you from sipping water to help relieve your Dry Mouth symptoms.
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The Biotene® Oral Dry Mouth Rinse, Gel, and Spray are regulated as medical devices and provide dry mouth symptom relief. The Biotene® Oral Moisturizing Rinse and Toothpastes provide oral hygiene benefits only and are not indicated to provide dry mouth symptom relief. The toothpaste is specially formulated to not irritate.
About Your Mouth's pH
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In the general population, low pH foods, such as acidic drinks, fruits and other products can be buffered to a certain extent by saliva, i.e. saliva will increase pH in the mouth to counter the drop in pH from these food and drinks. In dry mouth sufferers where the salivary flow is already low this can affect a person’s ability to buffer low pH from food and drinks. Use of oral care products with a pH of less than 5.5 could result in the loss of enamel from the tooth surface, depending on the level of saliva in the mouth. Therefore; for dry mouth sufferers, it is advisable that all oral products have a pH above 5.5 which is closer to normal saliva. This aligns to Dental professionals preferences for neutral pH products for people with low salivary flow.
Where to Buy
Product Information
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In accordance with the product label GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK CH) recommends placing 1-2 cm of gel directly on the tongue and spreading thoroughly inside the mouth. Biotene® Oralbalance Gel can be used as frequently as needed for dry mouth symptom relief but GSK CH recommends that no more than a single tube of this product is used per day*.
*Always follow package directions.
Safety and Regulatory
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‘Alcohol- free’ in labeling pertains to being free of ethyl alcohol (also known as ethanol, or grain alcohol); therefore we are compliant and allowed to label “alcohol- free.” True, propylene glycol is an alcohol; however it is a humectant, which is an ingredient that retains moisture (which is why it’s used in our dry mouth products).
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These are two different products with different indications, uses and dosage regimen. Biotène® Oral Rinse is part of a daily oral care regimen and is indicated for use at 15 mL for thirty seconds for up to 5 times daily, and is intended to be expectorated (spat out). Biotène® Spray is intended for moisturizing and should be applied directly into the mouth as required.
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Due to the Biotène® range's mild formulation ingredients, preservatives have been added in some of the formulations. Parabens have been widely used as preservatives in many consumer products over 50 years and have long history of suitability for use in such products. Parabens are considered suitable for use at current use levels in these products.
