Overnight Oral Hydration
Passive diffusion platforms for continuous overnight oral hydration and drug delivery, enabling better sleep and quality of life for 1B+ patients worldwide.
FINALISTChronic dry mouth affects more than 1 billion people, many in several groups at once
Saliva flow drops at night for everyone. For people who already produce too little, that drop wakes them with intense thirst. Low saliva also makes swallowing, eating and speaking harder, and raises the risk of cavities and gum disease. Lozenges and gum only work while the patient is awake, carry a choking risk and wear off quickly.
Polypharmacy and statins
The largest driver: daily statins (200M+ users worldwide), anticholinergics, blood-pressure drugs and antidepressants.
GLP-1 therapies
Semaglutide and tirzepatide can cause dehydration and severe dry mouth. About 12% of US adults now take a GLP-1.
Oncology, chemo and RLT
Chemotherapy causes about 6M new cases a year (1.3–1.6M in the US and EU). Radiation for head and neck cancer (HNC) affects ~80% of patients; Ac-225 and radioligand therapy (RLT) affect fewer, but often for longer.
Denture wearers
Without saliva, dentures lose suction and stop staying in place.
Diabetes
High blood sugar damages the small vessels of the salivary glands, and output stays low.
Rheumatology and neurology
Rheumatoid arthritis (~18M) and lupus (~3.4M) worldwide, Parkinson’s (~10M) worldwide and Sjögren’s (~4M in the US), plus HIV/AIDS and some biologics.
Passive diffusion devices for overnight oral hydration and drug delivery
The patented HydrOral PDA (Passive Diffusion Appliance) is a 3D-printed dental appliance like a retainer or nightguard, with a built-in reservoir that holds saliva-substitute hydrogels. While the patient sleeps, the device safely and steadily releases FDA-cleared OTC gels, such as Haleon’s Biotène or Sunstar GUM’s Hydral. These gels are part of a $2.5B xerostomia market that is daytime-only. The market already exists, but nothing like this treats dry mouth overnight.
Steady, calibrated dosing
Up to 8 hours of release, no waking to reapply.
No choking risk at night
Nothing loose in the mouth, unlike lozenges or gum.
Uninterrupted sleep
Put in at bedtime and leave it alone until morning.
OTC salivary substitute gels, released all night while you sleep
1. Fill
Squeeze a pharmacy gel (e.g., Biotène, GUM Hydral) into the reservoir, like toothpaste on a toothbrush.
2. Wear
It sits comfortably on the upper teeth like a retainer or a nightguard.
3. Overnight release
Gel diffuses out through the calibrated pores for up to 8 hours.
HydrOral PDA – 2-minute overview
Every participant in the Rennes University Hospital study reported a better quality of life
22 patients with severe xerostomia from head & neck cancer radiation, Sjögren’s, and polypharmacy.
Patients reported speaking normally on waking, better-fitting dentures, easier swallowing and no more waking at night to drink.
“I can wake up and speak immediately for the first time since my cancer treatment.”
“It is life-changing. My dentures adhere so much better. This is just pure genius.”
“I don’t have issues swallowing anymore and no longer wake up to drink during the night.”
The HydrOral PDA definitely improves the quality of life for our patients. The results have been outstanding. The HydrOral PDA is truly a game-changer in the therapeutic treatment of chronic dry mouth.Dr. Gérard Bader, DDS-PhD, SQCO, MCU-PH
The HydrOral origin story
Several years ago, Matt Ciesicki was diagnosed with head and neck cancer of the tongue and lymph nodes, which was successfully treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, the treatment left him with severely diminished saliva production, creating chronic dry mouth, also known as xerostomia or hyposalivation.
Matt was using over-the-counter (OTC) salivary substitutes such as Biotène by Haleon and ACT – lozenges, mouthwash, gels and gum – to relieve his symptoms, but couldn’t find a way to treat the biggest problem: the terrible thirst that struck at night, forcing him to get up almost every hour to hydrate his mouth. It seriously disrupted his sleep.
While researching a solution, he learned that more than a billion people suffer from chronic dry mouth caused by cancer treatment, like him, but also by diabetes, polypharmacy (taking several medications at once) and as a side effect of treatments for Parkinson’s, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid conditions and many more. Lack of saliva also leads to tooth decay, gum disease, loss of taste and appetite, and oral infections – all of which slow recovery.
A lifelong inventor, Matt bought a rugby mouthguard, used a hot needle to create a perforated reservoir inside it and filled it with the OTC salivary substitute gel he was already using. The gel slowly diffused into his mouth overnight – and voilà, HydrOral was born.
Diagnosis
Head and neck cancer, treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation
Sleepless nights
Waking almost every hour to hydrate his mouth
The first prototype
A rugby mouthguard, a hot needle and his own OTC gel
HydrOral PDA
Patented, 3D-printed and clinically tested
Overnight Oral Hydration