Drooling and Dry Mouth Research

Shown below are examples of research completed and being undertaken in the areas of Drooling and Dry Mouth Research.

Drooling - Australian Research

Botox Treatment

'Botulinum Toxin' (Botox) is a drug that blocks the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles, sweat glands and salivary glands. This treatment for improving saliva control is a relatively new procedure. It consists of botulinum toxin being injected into the salivary glands. It works in the same way as the medications, by blocking acetylcholine release from nerve endings but only at or near where it's injected.

Surgery

Surgery involving reversal of the submandibular glands' ducts is currently performed around the world. The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; is one of these places. A study published by the Birmingham Children's Hospital reports an overall improvement in drooling in 87% of those cases studied. 57% had complete elimination drooling whilst 13% had poor results. Those with poor results were identified as having the greatest degree of oral-motor dysfunction.

The treatment efficacy of particularly botox injections and surgical treatment of the salivary glands remain as dominant areas of research and discussion in the domain of saliva control and management. The Saliva Clinic at the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital (RCH) is carrying out both surgery and botox treatment.

For further information regarding either of these treatments, and contact details; go to the saliva control clinic web page at the Royal Children's Hospital website.

Appliances

A study in 2002 was conducted regarding the efficacy of one of a variety of intra-oral appliances called the ISMAR (Innsbruck Sensori Motor Activator and Regulator) for improving drooling in a group of children with cerebral palsy. The study also highlighted factors that might indicate a good candidate for this type of therapeutic approach.
For these children, drooling severity scores significantly improved as well as eating and drinking skills over the treatment period compared to the period of time when they did not wear the ISMAR. This appliance was thus found to be a valid treatment option for children with cerebral palsy. However more research into the issues surrounding the wearing of such an appliance is necessary for better understanding of its use.

Dry mouth, Gene Therapy - International research

Current research using gene transfer technology is being conducted which is investigating the transfer of water-transporting proteins (aquaporins) into ductal cells (normally non-saliva producing) within the salivary glands, to create more fluid producing cells. This process is hoped to help those who have undergone radiation treatment and those with auto-immune diseases, such as Sjogren's Syndrome. However, studies have so far been conducted with rodents. Human investigation is yet to be explored.