GSK Survey Shows Americans Seek More Information from Pharmacists on Medication Side Effects.

While prescription drug use is on the rise, medication side effects are discouraging Americans from following their prescribed treatment plans -- even as many of them are not aware they can treat some common side effect with over-the-counter healthcare products according to a new survey by Wakefield Research for Biotène.

The findings from the survey of 1,040 Americans show that over half (52%) of those surveyed who are currently taking a prescribed medication have stopped or wanted to stop taking a medication due to side effects like dry mouth. And nearly 1 in 3 (31%) adults have completely stopped taking a medication because of the side effects.

Alarmingly, 76% of those surveyed do not even realize dry mouth is a medical condition that should be treated. If left untreated, dry mouth can cause even more oral health problems, increasing ones chances for tooth decay by approximately 3 times. Patients can take a dry mouth quiz at Biotène.com.