Study confirms safety, efficacy of OraMoist

EUGENE, Ore. Quantum Health’s OraMoist, a time-released mucoadhesive patch that moistens and lubricates the mouth, was featured in the October 2010 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association as part of a study that affirmed safety and efficacy of the over-the-counter product in relieving dry mouth.

The mucoadhesive patches tested in the study are available to consumers under the brand name OraMoist and are sold over-the-counter at such retailers as Rite Aid and Walgreens. Approximately 1 cm in diameter, the patches can adhere to any oral mucosal surface, such as the roof of the mouth or inside the cheek. The study confirmed the oral patch can yield a “statistically significant improvement in baseline subjective and objective measures of dry mouth for up to 60 minutes — and possibly longer — after application.”

“One of the results was that after two weeks of use of the patch, the amount of saliva in the mouth had increased even during times when there was no patch in the mouth,” stated the study’s lead author Ross Kerr, clinical associate professor at New York University College of Dentistry. “In other words, the patch would seem to have a cumulative beneficial effect.”

Chronic dry mouth is an under-diagnosed condition that can have a detrimental effect on oral health by contributing to tooth decay, gum disease and chronic bad breath, Quantum stated. The condition most often is a side effect of many prescription and OTC medications — 34% of people on three or more medications likely will have this condition. Dry mouth also can be a symptom of other medical conditions, such as diabetes or Sjogren’s syndrome, or can be the result of radiation treatment for head and neck cancer.