Hi, I was just wondering if anyone could help. My dad had a course of radiotherapy, but it didn't work so he had to an operation. So he has a dry mouth, but is sturggling to swallow. As it turns out, we now know that liquids are going into his lungs so he has to avoid thinner liquids, but has a dry mouth. He has been given thickener, but it is just not quenching enough for him. He has asked me to ask does any know anything that can help with his dry mouth? any tricks that anyone has come across? Thank you!

Siobhan

hi siobhan
yes the dreaded dry mouth that the majority of us suffer from,it does get better with time but not much.my g.p prescribes biotene gel and biotene dry mouth toothpate which i use at night and does help.during the day i drink lots of water and chew gum but chewing gum might be too soon for him as i expect his mouth is still very sore.i had to see a speech therapist to learn how to swallow again as i did not eat or drink for months and lost the ability to do so and would choke if i tried to drink.speak to the oncologist about something for the dry mouth or your g.p,even just swilling water around his mouth wlll help a bit.good luck to your dad and please keep us informed of his progress and also have a good look around the forums because you may see a post that suits him perfectly.love shirl xxx

Click for: past posts on dry mouth.

Hi thank you Shil My dad had a course of radiotherapy, quite intense as this was going to be his only cancer treatment (we caught it early. However, it didn't work so he had to go for an op (almost 6 weeks ago). Hes been advised NOT to drink water or tea without thickener or he will keep filling his lungs, but he needs water for his dry mouth :/ it was the speech therapist that noticed he coughs everytime he drinks so he had to go for an xray to make sure it wasnt going into his lungs, but as its turns out some of it is. His thicker liquids arent though. T my dad and probably most patients and even to me it seems like its one thing after another, it will get better won't it? He has that biotene toothpaste and he did have something called clairgel or gelclair, but i do know that that he doesn't have those that much. He doesn;t know how to swill his mouth or gargle, and he REALLY wants to learn, but they don't want to rush him, but i guess he really needs to know now. The other thing is that his specialists have removed part of his gum bone, so he in more pain atm (some 2 weeks ago and some yest) they think he has an infection in his bone. So if you was to look into his mouth, his lower gum has like a huge scoop in it, so everything i guess might have to be proponed. With the dry mouth i guess its a catch 22 situation, but my dad doesn't know what to do and all the healthcare staff are saying to him is 'avoid water'.

Siobhan x

Hi Siobhan,
There is a product called BioXtra gel That I find very good.
Distributors:UK-Molar Ltd,
The Yard,
Wedmore,
BS28 4EB

My Chemist orders it specially for me.It does help a lot and I hope it is beneficial to your Dad.
P.S. With a name like Siobhan you must have Irish connections !!

Slan,
Caliban

Hi! Siobhan,
Well it seems that everybody has some good advice for your "dry mouth problem", I would like to add my suggestion as well and that is "Ice Coffee" this is a delicatessan line and even thoiugh it is just low fat milk and many other ingrediences inl. sugar I find that since I have been a regular drinker of this lovely drink I have found that i don'r have any probs with dry mouth BUT I may start having a problem with my weight.
JUST A THOUGHT
Love Trev