US-based pharmaceutical firm Mission Pharmacal has launched a new safe and effective protective oral spray called Aquoral that moistens and lubricates the mouth for up to four hours.
Dry mouth (xerostomia), which affects about 25 million people in the US, refers to a decreased production of saliva, a condition common in older adults and those taking certain prescription medications.
According to the studies, dry mouth affects about 60% of patients taking an anticholinergic medication for treatment of a urologic condition such as overactive bladder (OAB).
Other causes of dry mouth include radiotherapy and systemic diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome.
Cracked lips, dry tongue, mouth sores and ulcers, mouth infections and dental decay can be caused by dry mouth, whose symptoms include an uncomfortable dry, sticky or burning sensation in the mouth.
Mission Pharmacal marketing director of Urology Division Dan Crawford said dry mouth can significantly decrease patients’ quality of life by making it difficult to chew, swallow, taste, and even speak.
“Most home remedies, such as chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on ice chips, provide only temporary relief from these symptoms,” Crawford said.
“Over-the-counter remedies, which are water-based, don’t last much longer.”
Aquoral uses an Oxidized Glycerol Triesters (OGT) technology, a plant-derived, lipid-based technology designed to function like human saliva, forming a protective barrier on the oral mucosa that lasts up to four hours.
