Oral health education

XyliMelts should be placed on the gums on the outside of a molar, upper or lower, with the white side touching your check and the tan (adhesive side) against your gums. After application, do not move the XyliMelts disc for 10 seconds to ensure it is fully adhered to the gum. You can also reference this short slide presentation for a visual breakdown of how to place XyliMelts in the mouth--How Place XyliMelts in the Mouth (PowerPoint).

XyliMelts can be used as needed to relieve dry mouth. If their systems are not used to it, some people find that they have gut discomfort when they ingest more than about 5,000 mg of xylitol in a short period of time. Each XyliMelts disc contains 550 mg of xylitol, so don’t use more than 10 on your first day.

Renewing Melts (HB-12 Melts) can be used as needed. The only risk is acne in a very small number of people when they use more than 5 in one day.

OraCoat^® XyliMelts ^® slowly release a great tasting, all natural sweetener, called xylitol, in combination with an oral lubricant to relieve dry mouth (xerostomia) and combat bad breath (halitosis). However, unlike other natural or synthetic sweeteners, xylitol is actively beneficial for dental health by helping to reduce the risk of tooth decay and freshen breath by almost 30 percent in regular users.

Yes

Yes. For use while sleeping, adhere the disc at the gum line on the outside of a molar, upper or lower, with the white side touching your cheek and the tan adhesive side against your gums and/or teeth. Do not adhere it to the roof of your mouth where your might pry it loose with your tongue in your sleep.

A small number of people are sensitive to the acacia adhesive used in XyliMelts and may develop a mild gum irritation after continued use. If you find that you are sensitive to the acacia adhesive, we offer an acacia-free version of XyliMelts.

Do not give xylitol to dogs or other pets. Dogs and other pets have different metabolisms than humans and ingestion of xylitol can be harmful to animals.

Mouth ulcers are an ulceration of the mucosal membrane in the mouth. Often confused with cold sores (which are related to herpes and form on the lips or face), mouth ulcers are not viral or contagious and form only inside the mouth.

Research has yet to identify exact mouth ulcer causes, but studies have found links with:

• Stress
• Oral trauma
• Genetics
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Triggering foods and/or chemicals

Women are more likely than men to develop recurring mouth ulcers, and young adults suffer more frequently than older adults. Lacerations such as cuts from braces or accidental biting of the lip or cheek can also lead to mouth ulcers.

About 20% of people get recurring mouth ulcers and more than 60% of people will develop a mouth ulcer at least once in their lifetime.

There is no known cause for canker sores. They appear as pale gray ulcers with a red outer ring. Unlike cold sores, for which they are sometimes mistaken, canker sores are not contagious, but are though to be brought on by a variety of triggers, including:

• Weakened immune system (due to a viral infection)
• Stress
• Hormonal changes
• Sensitivity to acidic foods
• Poor diet lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (found in toothpastes and mouthwashes)

Research has also associated canker sores with several inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease, and Behcet's disease, plus diseases related to a suppressed immune system, such as HIV/AIDS.

Cold sores appear as small fluid-filled ulcers around the lips. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are extremely contagious. The virus can lay dormant for years after the initial infection, but can reappear as cold sores triggered by:

• Stress
• Weakened immune system
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Sun exposure
• Hormone changes

Cold sore symptoms include an initial itching/tingling sensation around the lips, a breakout of small blisters, oozing fluid following a burst blister, and finally a crusting over.

It’s not just your teeth that need to adjust to dental braces. If you’ve recently had braces installed or adjusted, mouth sores can become an all-too-real annoyance. Normal, daily activities can become very painful.

One essential for treating mouth sores from braces: orthodontist wax. Applying this wax (usually given to you by your orthodontist, but also available at pharmacies) to your braces can help prevent mouth ulcers from getting worse, though it is not designed to relieve pain or quicken the healing process.

Similar to braces, new dentures or older dentures that no longer fit correctly can rub against your gums or inner mouth, causing painful mouth sores. If you’ve developed mouth sores with new or ill-fitting dentures, be sure to talk to your dentist about possible adjustments and other treatments for temporary pain relief.

Mouth ulcers typically form on the floor of the mouth, the cheeks, the tongue, or on the soft palate and last 1-2 weeks.

Minimize stress: take time off to relax, eat right and get plenty of sleep. Take care of your mouth: Be careful when eating dry, crunchy foods. Any sharp, hard edges in your mouth can cause cuts that lead to mouth ulcers. Also, excessive dryness of the mouth can lead to mouth ulcers. For some people, triggering foods like nuts, spices, or food and drinks high in acidic content can lead to sores.

Most mouth sores heal without treatment in 10-14 days, but there are a variety of treatments for mouth ulcers, ranging from over-the-counter treatments to home remedies:

• Drink plenty of water
• Avoid spicy foods
• Maintain proper dental hygiene
• Apply an ice cube to the ulcer for temporary relief
• Rinse mouth with salt water
• Over-the-counter oral pain relievers

Renewing Melts (HB-12 Melts) (topical hyaluronan bioactive vitamin B12) are long-lasting adhering discs that help relieve temporary pain caused by mouth ulcers. The melts hold to the gum, tooth, or brace nearest the ulcer and slowly dissolve for hours of soothing pain relief and support natural healing.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.