Print

Print


Recently, there were a spate of dental questions on CARE.  Silly me --
it took this long to realize that the top-notch Dental Hygiene program
right here at the community college where I work might be a good source
of info!  The director of the program just gave me a bunch of stuff
about dry mouth ...

There are a number of products available over-the-counter.  Laclede
makes a Biotene series with dry mouth toothpaste, mouthwash, and chewing
gum, plus an antibacterial moisturizing gel for the mouth.  The pamphlet
says that drug stores should carry this or be able to order from their
wholesaler(s).  Laclede can be reached at 1-800-922-5856.

Another company, Gebauer, makes an aerosol synthetic saliva called
Salivart. 1-800-321-9348.

There is a branch of the National Institutes of Health called the
National Institute of Dental Research.  They have a pamphlet "Dry Mouth
(Xerostomia)" that contains general info and suggestions (see your
dentist at least 3 times a year, ask if you should use a remineralizing
solution or prescription-strength fluoride, use a humidifier, etc), and
mentions their Dry Mouth Clinic and research.  Copies available from
NIDR, PO Box 54793, Washington, DC 20032. The NIDR has a web site at
http://www.nidr.nih.gov.

The American Dental Association has a web site at http://www.ada.org.
It includes quite a few journal  articles about dry mouth.
Unfortunately, they are available only to ADA members :-( .  However,
the ADA and NIDR could both be suggested by PWP to their dentists as
sources of further info.

It seems like there are products and methods out there to help combat
the dental problems caused by PD and/or PD meds.  If anyone has specific
questions that the Dental Hygiene staff here might be able to help with,
pls e-mail me directly:   [log in to unmask]  (I'm getting CARE mail
but have been offlist from PARKINSN for a while)  and give us a couple
of days to get back to you.

Mary Rack
was cg for Mom, Louise, who died 1/98
now board member, Parkinson's Assn of Greater Kansas City