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Health May 2013

Aid for Age

Help for Dry Mouth, But You May Want to Hold the Caffeine

By Tait Trussell

Dry mouth is also a side effect of many medications. It occurs often when taking medications to treat anxiety, depression, urinary incontinence, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and use of muscle relaxers.

Dry mouth is a common problem among the elderly.

Wrigley chewing gum has climbed aboard the explosive popularity of energy drinks and come up with a product that can help dry mouth while giving you a boost of energy.

Energy drinks have seen exponential growth, outpacing almost every other drink in the beverage market. But even though chewing gum is an aid to stimulating saliva, you also get a jolt of caffeine, which you may not want, depending on your condition and the medications you take.

According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, a review of studies concluded that dry mouth among the elderly “causes significant oropharyngeal disorders. Dry mouth has many causes.” Early intervention for dry mouth problems helps prevent serious problems, it said.

Without adequate saliva production your risk of tooth decay and infection in your mouth increases. Not to sound hysterical, but health experts say that without adequate saliva production, eventually “you may develop difficulty with speaking, tasting and swallowing.” Saliva also provides enzymes that help in digestion.

Some people breathe through their mouth instead of their nose, which is not only a source of dry mouth but also indicates a health problem that may require medical attention.

Dry mouth is informally known as “cotton mouth.” But the scientific name for it is xerostomia, in case you want to investigate further.

Nearly everyone experiences dry mouth on occasion, often caused by dehydration. It may seem to be a minor annoyance. But dentists say that chronic dry mouth can lead to tooth decay because saliva washes away excess plaque and bacteria.

About 25 million Americans suffer with dry mouth, some because they sleep with their mouth open. Dry mouth is also a side effect of many medications. It occurs often when taking medications to treat anxiety, depression, urinary incontinence, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and use of muscle relaxers.

So, some older people with dry mouth problems, or just because they like the taste, chew gum.

Harry Kitner of Vero Beach, Florida, recently wrote his local newspaper in response to a letter from a woman criticizing a “senior” for chewing gum at a funeral. “The primary reason,” he said, “may be a lack of saliva as a result of the side effects of various medications (and we senior citizens know there are many to take). Many of us have diminished saliva glands as a result of chemo or radiation therapy.”

Back to the expanded sale of energy drinks. Before you reach for that promise of enhanced alertness, concentration and physical performance, you should know a single energy drink may have as much as 500 milligrams of caffeine (a cup of coffee has 100).

A popular energy drink is made from guarana (a South American plant that has among the highest concentrations of caffeine in any plant). The Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of caffeine in soft drinks — but there’s no limit in energy drinks.

A new study is calling energy drinks a rising health problem. Emergency room calls are up dramatically because of energy drinks.

There’s no such concern about Wrigley’s energy gum at this point. It contains the caffeine equivalent of only about a half cup of coffee. But neither the gum nor an energy drink is fit for your grandkids. That’s for sure.

 

Tait Trussell is an old guy and fourth-generation professional journalist who writes extensively about aging issues among a myriad of diverse topics.

Meet Tait