BETAINE-CONTAINING TOOTHPASTE RELIEVES SUBJECTIVE SYMPTOMS OF DRY MOUTH

Subjects with dry mouth often experience irritation of the oral mucosa when using sodium lauryl sulfate-containing products for oral hygiene . Betaine, or trimethylglycine, reduces skin-irritating effects of ing redients of cosmetics such as odium lauryl sulfate. The aim of the pre sent study was to compare the effects of a betaine-containing toothpas te with a regular toothpaste on the oral microbial flora, the conditio n of theory mucosa, and subjective symptoms of dry mouth in subjects w ith chronic dry mouth symptoms. Thirteen subjects with chronic dry mou th symptoms and with a paraffin-stimulated salivary flow rate less tha n or equal to 1 mL/min participated in the double-blind crossover stud y. Ten subjects had a very low salivary flow rate (less than or equal to 0.6 mL/min). The subjects used both experimental toothpastes (with or without 4% betaine) twice a day for 2 weeks. Oral examinations and microbiologic sample collections were made at the base lines preceding the two experimental periods and at the end. Standardized questions o n subjective symptoms of dry mouth were used when the subjects were in terviewed at the end of the two experimental periods. No study-induced significant changes were observed in die microbiologic variables (pla que index, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, Candida species) or in t he appearance of the oral mucosa. The use of the betaine-containing to othpaste was, however, associated with a significant relief of several subjective symptoms of dry mouth. Betaine appears thus to be a promis ing ingredient of toothpastes in general and especially of toothpastes designed for patients with dry mouth.