Study confirms effectiveness of spray that improves dry mouth caused by antidepressants

April 4, 2013
Researchers have confirmed the effectiveness of a spray that contains 1% malic acid, which greatly improves dry mouth caused by antidepressants. The spray, combined with xylitol and fluorides, stimulates saliva production.

Researchers from the University of Granada and the University of Murcia have confirmed the effectiveness of a spray containing 1% malic acid, which seems to greatly improve dry mouth — also known as xerostomy — often caused by antidepressant drugs. Malic acid in a spray form, combined with xylitol and fluorides, stimulates saliva production.

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The research was carried out in a double-blind randomized clinical trial on 70 patients diagnosed with antidepressant-induced xerostomy, split into two groups of 35 patients each. The first group took a sialogogue mouth spray (1% malic acid) for two weeks, while the second group received a placebo. To check the xerostomy both before and after applying both the product and the placebo, the researchers used a specific questionnaire, called the Dry Mouth Questionnaire (DMQ).

Further details from the study are available in ScienceDaily.