I e-mailed SmithKline about the changes they have made in the products...and they don't seem to even care that they have completely destroyed the most perfect products for dry mouth.I e-mailed LaClede the former manufacturer and have still recieved no reply. I have tried various mouth sprays and have come up with watery versions which last a few minutes. Still trying any I can find. I have some of the old gel and use it but not as good as the liquid gel which SmithKline has discontinued. Oh well...the search goes on....Have a great day..
I was diagnosed 3 years ago and one RA specialist recommended Biotene products and they were a joke; the effect was momentary and the taste horrible. I really have no idea when SmithKline changed the formula, so I don't know if the formula I tried was already the new one.
I take Omega-7, Flaxseed oil and Cod Liver oil daily, plus I make a mean green drink, with all green veggies and a little raw honey to help with my dryness, which is pretty severe.
Could you please share with us the Email address you used for SmithKline and also their snail mail address ifyou have it....DId you get it from their website? Maybe if everyone of us sent an email and a snailmail letter they would pay a little more attention to it?
has anyone tried RiteAid dry mouth spray? It claims to have 7 enzymes to keep the mouth moist and fresh. Biotene's new formula does NOT have the enzymes in it that the original mouth spray had. I'm going to order this Rite Aid Spray and see how it works.
I tried something called oil pulling, that is supposedly a cure all for lots of things. What it is is putting a tbs of oil (light olive oil is my preference, but have also tried coconut oil) in my mouth and swishing it in my mouth for about 20 mins. You then spit it in the trash (not down the drain as it will clog them!!). It supposedly gets rid of the bacteria/toxins that accumulate in the mouth. Not sure if it works for that, but I noticed it does help a lot with my dry mouth. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not and it might help. Google "oil pulling"...lots of articles about it. Good luck
Problem is that Biotene and the spray(s) don't last very long--old or new formula. Again I take pilocarpine to stimulate my saliva and I have to chew gum. At this point I'm drooling. With all this stuff I still have a bone dry mouth in the morning. Can't even talk.
I am glad that you posted this update on SmithKline's apparent disregard to its customers. I have emailed the company and they sent me a sampling of their new products that are so harsh in mint and negligible in soothing qualities that I simply threw them in the trash. I e-mailed the company with my anger and rage and they seem indifferent. Also, here in the mountain region (Colorado) warehouses are simply out of Biotene mouth gel. I simply don't get this at all?
I had the chance to take pilocarpine and I did, once, that was enough for me! I do however chew gum when needed to stimulate the salivary glands and use OTC Gel eye drops while in the shower (it works great in combination with the warm water falling on ones face!)
There is another dry mouth gel that I have occasionally only found at Target but they haven't carried it for at least a couple of years. Now I order it from dentist.net. It is called Orajel Dry Mouth Moisturizing Gel (not the Orajel mouth sore medicine). It lasts longer for me than Biotene.
I have been oil pulling with coconut oil for over a year and it controls the soreness but my mouth is still dry. If I don't do it at least twice a day then my mouth gets really sore again.
elizabeth said:
I tried something called oil pulling, that is supposedly a cure all for lots of things. What it is is putting a tbs of oil (light olive oil is my preference, but have also tried coconut oil) in my mouth and swishing it in my mouth for about 20 mins. You then spit it in the trash (not down the drain as it will clog them!!). It supposedly gets rid of the bacteria/toxins that accumulate in the mouth. Not sure if it works for that, but I noticed it does help a lot with my dry mouth. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not and it might help. Google "oil pulling"...lots of articles about it. Good luck
I feel a little lost here; why not try ingesting the oil; earlier I posted that I take flaxseed oil and Cod liver Oil for severe dry mouth and it makes a great difference. I use Coconut oil instead of Olive oil for salads and also cook with it and Walnut oil whenever possible. I also forgot to mention that Fish Oil has been highly recommended for helping with RA and other symptoms of Sjogren's.
Felter said:
I have been oil pulling with coconut oil for over a year and it controls the soreness but my mouth is still dry. If I don't do it at least twice a day then my mouth gets really sore again.
elizabeth said:
I tried something called oil pulling, that is supposedly a cure all for lots of things. What it is is putting a tbs of oil (light olive oil is my preference, but have also tried coconut oil) in my mouth and swishing it in my mouth for about 20 mins. You then spit it in the trash (not down the drain as it will clog them!!). It supposedly gets rid of the bacteria/toxins that accumulate in the mouth. Not sure if it works for that, but I noticed it does help a lot with my dry mouth. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not and it might help. Google "oil pulling"...lots of articles about it. Good luck
I know what you mean by the burning of biotene products. I'm not fond of any biotene products. These are just some things that work for me: I chew sugar free eclipse gum, has several flavors, it may burn for you, a different flavor may be ok. I have 2 Rx's from my RA which help. One is Evoxac 30 mg (take 1 before meals, I was taking 3 @ B. L. & D. but cut back to 2 @ B. & L. because 3 was too much. I actually had too much saliva from it. The other is a rinse that does not burn me, maybe you could try samples the RA can get for you, it is NeutraSal (Supersaturated Calcium Phosphate Rinse) by Invado Pharmaceuticals, LLC - www.NeutraSal.com
I think the point of oil pulling is leaving the coating of oil on your mouth rather then ingesting it. Also, because supposedly you are removing toxins in your mouth, if you swallow it, you are putting those toxins back in your system.
SGoddess said:
I feel a little lost here; why not try ingesting the oil; earlier I posted that I take flaxseed oil and Cod liver Oil for severe dry mouth and it makes a great difference. I use Coconut oil instead of Olive oil for salads and also cook with it and Walnut oil whenever possible. I also forgot to mention that Fish Oil has been highly recommended for helping with RA and other symptoms of Sjogren's.
Felter said:
I have been oil pulling with coconut oil for over a year and it controls the soreness but my mouth is still dry. If I don't do it at least twice a day then my mouth gets really sore again.
elizabeth said:
I tried something called oil pulling, that is supposedly a cure all for lots of things. What it is is putting a tbs of oil (light olive oil is my preference, but have also tried coconut oil) in my mouth and swishing it in my mouth for about 20 mins. You then spit it in the trash (not down the drain as it will clog them!!). It supposedly gets rid of the bacteria/toxins that accumulate in the mouth. Not sure if it works for that, but I noticed it does help a lot with my dry mouth. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not and it might help. Google "oil pulling"...lots of articles about it. Good luck
Ingesting oil can help your over all body dryness from the inside out, but it will not make everything all better. I have advanced Sj which has affected my entire GI system, pancrease, & heart. You can try out different oils just to see what works for you, they can't hurt. I use organic products only except for one RX for Lavaza - it's the highest grade fish oil you can get - I take 1 gm caplets, 2@breakfast & 2@dinner. I also take a heaping tablespoon of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (I mix it in my yogurt) & a tablespoon of raw honey right from the beekeepers vat - pure organic - I'm very fortunate to live in an area where there are local beekeepers right around the corner who teach classes. My local beekeeper said the best honey for you is local, i.e. which is within a 50 mile radius of where you live for you to get the most benefit. On the outside of my body I can see a big difference in the smoothness of my face & I haven't had bronchittis since I've been on the local honey. I also stay away from processed food & gluten although I am not allergic to gluten. When I really can't get food down my esophagus, the oil lubricates it & helps the food go down & not scratch & irritate my esophagus. For me, some meds & foods irritate my esophagus - I was on Asmanex - when I went off of it - I was able to swallow my food better & I was able to talk without a speach impairment (my speach impairment was so bad, I couldn't talk, & my esophagus was in pain). I hope you feel better because you are so young! Hang in there! You are in my thoughts & prayers & you can always talk to me no matter what you say. We are all different & we all suffer in different ways. What's good for me may not be good for every one. Just try things & you'll find your way. Just remember, never give up! A big smile & hug for you too! God bless you!
Oil Pulling is supposed to be done once in the morning before brushing ones teeth and eating, but there is no real proof that this has any effect on the dry mouth caused by Sjogren's. There is little to no proof that it works for the aliments that some claim that it is supposed help, such as diabetes mellitusorasthma. There seems to be no logic in this since you are swallowing all day and toxins are getting into your system anyway. Oil pulling and Biotene are all temporary methods of dealing with one symptom, dry mouth; I have found that changing ones diet is one of the best ways to help the system as a whole in order to improve the "battle zone", which is our bodies that are under attack. What we need to address is T-cells; further clarification of the role of T cells will open avenues for better treatment of SS, whose current management is still mainly supportive (only treating each symptom as it presents itself). We need to look for a cure; let's pull our energies together to speak with one voice to get some real attention focused on this debilitating disease!! RESEARCH!!!
Oil pulling cleans and removes bacteria and toxins from your mouth and may have a mild detoxing effect. It really helps to use lots flaxseed and fish oils and use olive, coconut, sesame, sunflower, etc. oils but that does something totally different from oil pulling. I swear by oil pulling for oral health.
SGoddess said:
I feel a little lost here; why not try ingesting the oil; earlier I posted that I take flaxseed oil and Cod liver Oil for severe dry mouth and it makes a great difference. I use Coconut oil instead of Olive oil for salads and also cook with it and Walnut oil whenever possible. I also forgot to mention that Fish Oil has been highly recommended for helping with RA and other symptoms of Sjogren's.
Felter said:
I have been oil pulling with coconut oil for over a year and it controls the soreness but my mouth is still dry. If I don't do it at least twice a day then my mouth gets really sore again.
elizabeth said:
I tried something called oil pulling, that is supposedly a cure all for lots of things. What it is is putting a tbs of oil (light olive oil is my preference, but have also tried coconut oil) in my mouth and swishing it in my mouth for about 20 mins. You then spit it in the trash (not down the drain as it will clog them!!). It supposedly gets rid of the bacteria/toxins that accumulate in the mouth. Not sure if it works for that, but I noticed it does help a lot with my dry mouth. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not and it might help. Google "oil pulling"...lots of articles about it. Good luck
We have received your e-mail message regarding Biotène® products.
We regret that you do not care for the new formulations of Biotène®.
Since consumer reaction to any facet of our business is very important to us, we certainly appreciate hearing from you. Comments such as yours allow us to see our endeavors from our customers' viewpoints. Please be assured that your remarks about the new formulation of the products have been shared with the people who are involved in the direct manufacture and marketing of our product.
As an OTC company, GlaxoSmithKline is constantly reformulating to improve its range of products. The Biotène® line has been reformulated to have a pH range similar to that of normal saliva (a pH closer to neutral) for optimal dry mouth symptom management product formulas. Biotène®’s product relief range (Gel, Spray and Mouthwash/Oral Rinse) provides moisturization and lubrication as it is rich in humectants and lubricants to provide relief from the discomfort of dry mouth symptoms. Appropriate ongoing oral hygiene is very important for the dry mouth sufferer, that’s why we’ve made formulation improvements to the Biotène® Dry Mouth Toothpastes; they have been reformulated with sodium fluoride in a formulation designed to optimize fluoride uptake for essential tooth protection.
Please be assured that every effort is made to keep the price of the product affordable. We can tell you that retailers are free to set their own prices, and the price can vary.
Again, we appreciate that you took the time to contact us and want to assure you that your comments will be passed along. Please know that your opinion is important to us. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact one of our Customer Service Representatives weekdays, toll-free at 1-800-922-5856. When you call, please refer to the Case ID number below.
seems like they may take such letters into consideration. Please join me you guys and ladies....maybe they will hear that it's not just me who is concerned.
What does one do when "oil pulling?" Haven't a clue. Only thing I know is that most of the oils mentioned hear are very good for you to use and eat in cooking and salads. Best oils being (from my research) organic coconut oil, olive oil, and safflower oil.
You got to hold on.
SGoddess said:
Oil Pulling is supposed to be done once in the morning before brushing ones teeth and eating, but there is no real proof that this has any effect on the dry mouth caused by Sjogren's. There is little to no proof that it works for the aliments that some claim that it is supposed help, such as diabetes mellitusorasthma. There seems to be no logic in this since you are swallowing all day and toxins are getting into your system anyway. Oil pulling and Biotene are all temporary methods of dealing with one symptom, dry mouth; I have found that changing ones diet is one of the best ways to help the system as a whole in order to improve the "battle zone", which is our bodies that are under attack. What we need to address is T-cells; further clarification of the role of T cells will open avenues for better treatment of SS, whose current management is still mainly supportive (only treating each symptom as it presents itself). We need to look for a cure; let's pull our energies together to speak with one voice to get some real attention focused on this debilitating disease!! RESEARCH!!!
I don't need "real proof". It is enough that it works for me. It controls the soreness of my mouth, my sinus problems and nosebleeds, and has improved TMJ among many other things.
SGoddess said:
Oil Pulling is supposed to be done once in the morning before brushing ones teeth and eating, but there is no real proof that this has any effect on the dry mouth caused by Sjogren's. There is little to no proof that it works for the aliments that some claim that it is supposed help, such as diabetes mellitusorasthma. There seems to be no logic in this since you are swallowing all day and toxins are getting into your system anyway. Oil pulling and Biotene are all temporary methods of dealing with one symptom, dry mouth; I have found that changing ones diet is one of the best ways to help the system as a whole in order to improve the "battle zone", which is our bodies that are under attack. What we need to address is T-cells; further clarification of the role of T cells will open avenues for better treatment of SS, whose current management is still mainly supportive (only treating each symptom as it presents itself). We need to look for a cure; let's pull our energies together to speak with one voice to get some real attention focused on this debilitating disease!! RESEARCH!!!
