Sugar free candy for dry mouths | Arthritis Information

Share
 

So, at the suggestion, ok more like command, of my dentist, I went on a hunt for sugar free candy to suck on when my mouth gets dry.  Tried many, most had that fake sugar taste and went into the trash.  However, the Werther's Original Butterscotch SUGAR FREE candies are great!  Seriously, I can't even tell the difference. 

So, for those of you who have dry mouths or just like candy, give them a try!  CVS often puts them on sale with your savings card so be on the lookout! Thanks!

 
I know I have dry eyes.  I have a question about having a dry mouth.  Whenver I go to the dentist I drive the hygenist nuts because I salivate so much.  Is that an overreaction because of a dry mouth maybe? 
 
My sister (who is otherwise healthy) had the first 13 cavities of her life a few years ago.  But they chalked that up to GERD.  She is on meds now and I guess doing better with cavities?  I wonder about that though.
KatieG2008-10-21 13:40:58Michele,
 
Thanks for the tip about the Werthers sugarless butterscotch candies.  Sounds yummy.  I've been having more problems with sjogren syndrone -- dry eyes and dry mouth.  RE dry eyes, be sure to mosturize them w/drops, gel or ointment -- its amazing all the products they have nowadays, rows and rows and rows of products.  For dry mouth, my dentist hygienist suggested sugarless gums w/xylitol, the xylitol helps control bacteria.  I buy a 12 pack of Trident at Costco to save.  Of course, if you have jaw issues, chewing gum may not be a good option.  I also use an electric toothbrush.  Well, take care.
 
 
 
 

Micheleb... I've tried them and must say you are right..they are delicious!!  Thanks for the reminder.. especially with all this fattening halloween candies about!!

good points, Joie!

 
I too use an electric toothbrush... works much better... and a waterpik on occasion.
 
I would ask an eye doc to recommend some eye stuff.. There are many made w/ products that are actually drying to the eyes.. Like Visine and such...  I use several that my opthamologist recommended.. one's a script and the other is ...... completely failing to come into my brain at the moment!  I'm sorry, I'll have to look at it..  some meds cause dry mouth and eyes ie like flexiral sp, muscle rellaxer, check your meds for that side effect
biotene is good for dry mouth
Babs,
 
Yes, good to check w/eye doc about whats best to use for dry eyes.  I "think" for those that use drops/gel often, you don't want something w/a preservative.  My eye doc recommended genteal gel, it has a preservative that dissolves/dissipates in the eye, something like that.  Its handy for me cuz it comes in a tube that is easy on my ole arthritic fingers, as opposed to those single use, small vials of artificial tears that are impossible for my fingers and ROM.  So yes, check w/your doc, cuz there are a lot of choices out there, and I wasn't aware of genteal gel until he suggested it.  These bitty bottles and tiny tubes can be expensive, - a piece, but some of them come w/coupons, lately genteal has a off coupon, so don't throw out that insert w/out checking it first. 
    
 
 
 
 
I have been addicted to jolly ranchers candy. It's not sugarfree but it's 10 calories a piece. I love the watermelon/cherry ones!

Just a word of advice limit the amount of sugar free candies you eat at one time.  Some of the artifical sweetners in them particularly the ones with sorbitol can cause diarrhea.  My aunt would chow down on a bag of sugar free candies and spend most her time in the bathroom.  Her doctor told her not to eat more than 3 a day. I'm addicted to jolly ranchers also but I love the cinnamon fire ones.

midnitestich2008-10-21 20:48:45There is a very good mouth wash...and i think they also have toothpaste called biotene. it is designed for dry mouth and will increase the saliva production. Fairly good tasting.[QUOTE=midnitestich]

 I'm addicted to jolly ranchers also but I love the cinnamon fire ones.

[/QUOTE]
I love Jolly Ranchers too!  I use to love getting the "fire stix" in my treat bag!
member those? 
Yeah, I need to try the mouth washes.  The hygienist recommended that I try the kids fluoride one, I think she said its called ACT.  My teeth are fairly healthy but my enamel is thin which could be a result of my sarcoid, not sure if all AI diseases can cause that.  I was sucking on a lot of hard cinnamon candies, I bought a big bag at Costco but she said NO SUGAR candies.  I do have IBS but the Werther's don't seem to bother my tummy and some days I will suck on 10-12 of them if I am busy at work.

I just looked on the back of the bag and these are the ingredients listed:  Isomalt, butter, cream, salt, artificial flavoring, emulsifier soy lecithin, sweetener acesulfame-K.  Allergy information: contains milk and soybeans

5 pieces is 40 calories

I also have dry eyes and blepharitis and uveitis.  Every morning and night I wash my eyes with a solution of 1/3 baby shampoo to 2/3 water.  My preference of moisture drop is Systane and we got some free samples of Blink tears at the office and those work well too.  Than, every night I use a generic of tears gel and goop them up real well.  Just today I had my boss (an optometrist) look at my left eye as its been hurting real bad and not even my prescription steroid drop is helping.  He said i either have sarcoid granuloma's on the inside of my lower lid or some seriously plugged up sebaceous glands-he doesn't know which.   Of course the ophthalmologist can't get me in until November 20th.  If it doesn't settle down, I will have to have my boss call over to the ophthalmologist office and get me in sooner. 
Hi Michele,
 
I noticed in your last post that you've had uveitis.  Recently I was diagnosed w/scleritis, I'm on steroid drops too, down from 4 drops a day to 3 and will see my eye doc for a followup this Monday.  I'm hoping to be able to soon discontinue the drops and was wondering if you continue using them.  I hope your latest eye problem clears up, its very frustrating and worrisome to have these eye issues.  One last question, do you use restasis?  I'm thinking of asking my new eye doc if I should use that and also will ask about those lacrimal plugs.  I want to avoid any more problems w/my eyes if possible.  Take care.
 
p.s.  my dental hygienist recommended ACT too.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have been on and off the steroid eye drops for about 4 years.  When I get a really nasty flare, it seems to last 6-8 weeks but I have had bouts last for more than 3 months at a time. Than it seems to settle down for a little while, a few weeks to a few months, than BAM-my eyes look like something from the night of the living dead and feel even worse!  Argh! LOL!!

Its not so great to use them as much as I do as they can cause your eye pressure to go up, which is glaucoma and they are known to speed up the process of getting cataracts.  However, I don't have much of a choice.  Since I work for an optometrist he can at least keep an eye on my pressure's which do tend to run a bit on the high side anyways.  And, everyone gets cataracts if they live long enough!  So instead of needing cataract surgery when I am 65, I will probably need it at 50-not much to be done about it.

Basically the difference's in the "itis" in the eye's is which lawyer or part of the eye is inflamed.  I do not use restatis but have heard that about 70% or so of the people that do see an increase in moisture but it does take some time and its not cheap.  I think my biggest problem is the inflammation.  I have actually come across some studies or articles on line that says for really severe cases of chronic uveitis, they use remicade-which I am already on the highest dose and frequency they will allow.

Its not so good though that I work for an optometrist-think how you would feel if the girl helping you at the eye doctors had red, swollen eyes and there is no way I am putting make-up on, its just irritates them to no end!
Michele,
 
lol  Yeah, that ain't good advertising for your boss optometrist to have his employee with a  red, swollen eye.   I know what you mean about how scary a red, inflammed eye looks, sorta reptilian, demonic, I guess a good look for Halloween.   heh heh  
 
Thanks Michele for all the info.  Yeah, I knew a bit about side effects (increased eye pressure, cataracts) when using cortisteroid eye drops (I'm using prednisolone), so I was concerned.  I'm trying not to get ahead of things and worry about eventually stopping the drops and the scleritis returning, my eye doc said scleritis can be reoccurring.  He said scleritis can be treated w/methotrexate, but I'm already on methotrexate and enbrel. So. we shall see . . .
 
Have you considered omega 3s (fish oil or flaxseed oil) its suppose to be beneficial for such conditions, I keep intending to start . . .
 
Well, thank goodness you work for an optometrist who can keep track of your eye pressure.  I hope that uveitis behaves and you have less flares.  Take care.
 
 
    
I'm glad someone mentioned the diarrhea that can be caused from sugar free candies, most are "sweetened" with sorbitol which is sometimes used for a laxative. You can get diarrhea from sugar free gum as well. When the Atkin's diet was the rage I had a patient come to the ER with terrible abdominal bloating, gas and diarrhea. His wife just casually mentioned that he had eaten a whole bag or Russell Stover's sugar free chocloates. We label sickness such as he had "dietary indescretion."
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com