Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND: Dry mouth is a frequent complaint of adults worldwide. In those who experience dry mouth, therapeutic options include the use of salivary substitutes and sialogogues. METHODS: The authors compared the efficacy and safety of mucoadhesive disks (OraMoist, Axiomedic, Zurich; distributed by Quantum Health, Eugene, Ore.) applied three times daily with those of placebo mucoadhesive disks in a double-masked, randomized, controlled crossover study. The primary end point of interest was within-participant differences in subjective (visual analog scale) ratings of dry mouth according to the New York University Bluestone Mouthfeel Questionnaire. The secondary end point was within-participant differences in salivary flow rates. RESULTS: Twenty-seven participants completed the single-site study. The results showed no significant difference between the two types of mucoadhesive disks, both of which were associated with a statistically significant improvement in the subjective experience of moistness across the 60-minute period after application and compared with baseline measures after two weeks of use. Furthermore, both disks were associated with a statistically significant improvement in salivary flow rates across the 60-minute period after application and compared with baseline measures after one and two weeks of use. The disks were well tolerated, and participants did not report any adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The mucoadhesive disks used in this study were safe and provided symptomatic relief from dry mouth. Practice Implications. Patients with dry mouth may benefit from this novel delivery system.