Teachers are prone to dry mouth not just because of excessive talking but because of all the factors that may lead to serious health problems. I've enjoyed and was fearless attending GlaxoSmithKline's Biotene Videoke night understanding what causes dry mouth last Friday night at Red Box Greenbelt Makati. Tooth Decay, gum problems and taking other medications can actually be the cause of dry mouth and if not treated properly may cause more serious health diseases like cancer and severe dental infections.
I know that it is a serious matter considering some of my co-teachers who had to spend so much money for operation and other medical treatments because of dry mouth. Data based on a study by the World Health Organization reported an estimate of 2.6 million Filipinos suffering from dry mouth. Dry mouth according to Dr. Jay Hansel Tabije of the Department of Dental Medicine at St. Jude Hospital can be a result of certain underlying medical condition or a side effect of certain medical treatment and drugs, anxiety, alcohol, dehydration and trauma. More serious symptoms include halitosis, dental caries, dental infections and gum disease. I've noticed a lot of my co-teachers try to resort to bringing water and sipping all the time to relieve their symptoms of dry mouth and the good news of Biotene may actually be the answer to all these.
It is an alarming fact knowing that we have no culture of regularly visiting the dentist even if we have no dental problems. I've realized how important it is to truly make the dental and medical check-up annually conducted to teachers seriously to properly guide them to take care of their voices and their mouth. Attending the Biotene event made me reflect on the type of minimal awareness brought to schools about dry mouth and dental care. Symptoms leading to serious dry mouth infections include dry feeling in the throat, dry tongue and problems in speaking or difficulties in tasting, chewing and swallowing. They have warned us and recommended drinking plenty of water, lessening intake of coffee, tea, and alcohol; avoiding food that are spicy and high in sugar. Using anti-bacterial oral rinse to restore mouth's moisture and kill bacteria may not help when the ingredient uses too much alcohol.
Biotene has a wide range of oral care products like moisturizing gel, mouth spray, toothpaste, mouthwash, oral rinse to help gums moisturize and lubricate dry mouth. It contains saliva's proteins and enzymes to stimulate saliva to help clean and lubricate the mouth. Chronic Dry Mouth or Xerostomia is a common problem that can affect about 26% adults and Biotene offers a full line of products that can help alleviate dry mouth symptoms. Of course you should not take Biotene just so you've experienced a minor dry mouth syndrome otherwise it may cause more harm on your throat. Best recommended is still a complete diagnosis and recommendation from your EENT doctor to better address your throat problems before using Biotene. Although it had not reported any contraindications or side effects as it uses simply saliva's proteins and enzymes, it still is best to consult a doctor.
This time and age, it is always best to know how important those little details are to help you save more money from expensive hospital and medical treatments. After a whole night of singing at Red Box Greenbelt Makati and Biotene, I have gained confidence to exhaust my throat to its maximum capability to try having dry mouth so that I can experience Biotene but, like what my friends always say, what's good for the gander may not be good for the goose. I am excited to make my co-teachers with chronic dry mouth try the feeling of using Biotene so they'd lose the amplifier and that constant coughing and sipping of water and keep the attention of students glued to the lesson and not the their teacher's throat problems.
GlaxoSmithKline's Biotene is available at selected drugstores and health care stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.biotene.com for more details.