A double-blind crossover trial of CMC- and mucin-containing saliva substitutes

The aim of this investigation was to describe and to compare the effectiveness of a CMC- and a mucin-containing saliva substitute. 22 post-radiation patients, 17 Sjögren's Syndrome patients and 3 patients with xerostomia of unknown origin used a CMC- and a mucin-containing saliva substitute, each for 1 week in an arbitrary sequence. Neither the patient, the assistant, nor the physician were aware of the substitute being used. Each patient had to complete a questionnaire at 3 different intervals during the trial. One of the conclusions of this study is that mucin-containing substitutes are preferred by patients when compared to CMC-containing substitutes.