Cure for Dry Mouth
Chronic dry mouth is a permanent condition as a result of radiation and chemo therapy treatments for oral cancer patients.
Several institutions are working to find a cure for dry mouth. These include surgery to remove the salivary glands prior to radiation treatment, stem cell/gene research, and acupuncture. Unfortunately these cures for dry mouth are years away and may not work in every case.
Today, the only known cure for dry mouth caused by cancer radiation and chemo therapy treatments is the XEROS Dry Mouth Pump. It is designed as a mechanical device that replicates the natural way of wetting the oral cavity. The wetting agent for both the XEROS and the salivary glands is water (95-99% of saliva is water, the other 1-5% are components to prevent bacteria decaying the teeth and to create a bolus around solid foods to assist in swallowing). The XEROS is programmable, delivering water in durations of seconds over intervals of minutes as programmed by each individual user. The mouthpiece consists of a small soft sponge that can fit the profile of most any cancer survivor (no jaw, no teeth, no tongue, etc). The mouthpiece and the programmability are the secrets of why the XEROS is the only known cure for dry mouth for cancer survivors today.