Oral dryness impacts oral health in a number of ways. It can cause throat, tongue, gingival and denture ridge pain,1 changes in taste, speech and swallowing,2 and sensory changes, such as tingling, burning or stickiness. When it occurs during the day, it can be managed with various over-the-counter (OTC) solutions, gels, sprays, rinses and similar products.3–10 By comparison, there are few management options for patients who experience nighttime oral dryness, when prescribed saliva-stimulating drugs may not be suitable. In these cases, an OTC lubricating oral adhering disc may be a suitable option (Figure 1).
This paper will review six published studies assessing the efficacy of two oral adhering disc products in the management of xerostomia occurring during the day or while sleeping. It will also report on a seventh study that tested a disc product for its potential effect on acid reflux, as well as oral dryness.
Five of the studies examined the efficacy of OraCoat XyliMelts in reducing xerostomia symptoms, while two studies evaluated OraMoist adhering discs. Of the latter, one was a comparative study with very different products, and the second was a double-masked, crossover design, short-term prospective study with two nearly identical adhering discs, but with different ingredients.
