Problem
Debilitating oral dryness (Xeorstomia) is a common, poorly treated component of orofacial cancer radio/chemotherapy and of Sjogren’s disease (an age-related onset auto-immune condition). A device is needed to enhance patient quality of life by reducing pain, ameliorating swallowing difficulty and rampant decay while improving speech and sleep quality by effective oral delivery of artificial saliva and associated therapeutics.
Solution
The research team have developed a simple device, similar to an irrigated gum-shield, to prevent the mouth from drying up during the night. People suffering from dry mouth syndrome tend to wake up every few hours with a need to drink fluids. At the moment there is no effective way to address this problem and other devices that have been tried have unpleasant side effects (such as creating blisters at the side of the mouth).
Intellectual Property Position
The "Saliva Guard" device is protected by design registrations in Europe (Community Design EP 1970260) and the USA (Granted US Design Patent: D685,529 S). An international PCT patent application was also filed, but has now been allowed to lapse in favour of the design registrations. We are seeking development partners wishing to work with the academic clinical team to advance this technology towards adoption.