[Rubylizard]

i've just been to the dentist who says my xanax makes my mouth dry.....which combined with my near constant chewing of gum or mints when i'm out of the house and anxious, i've got a mouth full of rotten teeth. i'm actually in shock right now. they wouldn't even tell me how many cavities there might be.

does anyone have any idea of something else i can do that is sort of repetitive and comforting when i'm feeling anxious out in public? i have emetophobia, not social phobia. i went with mints because the peppermint's supposed to help stomach things.

i can't eat artificial sweetners. upset my stomach and give me headaches.

[Perna]

Unfortunately, commercial mints and chewing gum don't really have much "real" peppermint. It's all flavorings these days made out of chemicals. So just as well to give them up? I did find some gum at the health food store last week that's made out of "real" gum, rainforest chicle, called "Glee Gum" http://www.gleegum.com/glee-gum.htm maybe look into what your health food store has to offer as alternatives?

I'd try to think up some sort of "exercise" like memorizing a piece/quotes or carry around a book I'm reading that I'm enjoying to think about to distract me from the anxiety in public if you're walking around? Or go to a flea market or large "antique" mall (or regular mall) and give yourself $5-$10 to find a talisman of some kind to carry. I have a lovely, brass, house key from the 1800's on my keychain that I imagine opens my secret room/safe place. I've found smooth stones at places where I've been on vacation or even just from my yard that I carry with me in a pocket and "feel", pieces of smooth colored glass? I have a 2" tall, articulated teddy bear in a jester's suit who is my "protector" :-) His name's "Queen's Knight" and I feel very good knowing he's with me.

I keep a bottle of water in my car glove compartment at all times; to rinse my hands if they get messy or sticky from eating something or to drink when I get thirsty at odd times or when I've eaten or drunk something that uses my body's water more than usual rather than adding to it.

[Doh2007]

Will sugar-free gum and mints do the job? Also, there's a thing you wrap around your wrist pressure points that people use for seasickness. I wonder if that would help?

[(JD)]

Mints are full of sugar, and are not at all a good choice. Sugar spikes your insulin and then drops it: now that's anxiety ridden! (feeling)

What you could use is something that doesn't dissolve to roll around in your mouth. (IF you've ever had a mouth splint or retainer, you can recall how much saliva it makes your mouth generate!)

TC

[ECHOES]

mint is not good for some stomach things like hiatus hernia, acid reflux...

one of my tricks is to let my tongue be nervous. I let it run back and forth along the backs of my upper teeth and up behind them along the roof of my mouth. no one can tell i'm doing it and it soothes me and keeps me 'busy'.

I discovered this when looking for a way to keep my composure when attending visiting hours at funeral homes because I would be so emotional and when I got choked up I couldn't speak my condolences; keeping my composure meant keeping my jaws clenched. I wanted to be able to give my sympathy with a reasonable level of heartfelt emotion.

It's soothing, invisible, and does encourage saliva production.