Lozenges for sucking

So, quick question: can you just swallow these chewable tablets instead of sucking on them?

I picked up some probiotic tablets meant to be sucked on, but honestly, the taste is pretty gross. I'm wondering if they'll still work the same way if I just gulp them down without all the sucking.

melloworca6, good topic 😉 I've been wondering if you can just suck on it instead of swallowing it fast. It's an antacid that creates a barrier, like http://www.gaviscon.com/how-gaviscon-works.aspx. Honestly, the taste is pretty nasty, so sucking on it makes it way easier to deal with 🙂

Don't you think it's better to suck on it rather than just chewing? Sucking takes longer. 🙂 Honestly, I don't see why it would matter since both ways result in absorption right there in your mouth. It should be fine, 🤔

Nah, sucking on it is way easier for me. When I try to chew, it turns into this gross, sticky paste of baking soda that just clings to my teeth. If I just swirl it around, I don't have to deal with that mess.
Anyway, I don't actually know the answer to your question, so I'm not going to weigh in. 😉

I found out that those chewable or dissolvable probiotics aren't meant to be swallowed whole. I'm guessing it's because they’re designed to be absorbed right in the mouth rather than waiting to hit the stomach or intestines. That's why I keep saying I don't see the harm in letting a chewable just melt in your mouth—it all mixes with saliva anyway while you're chewing, so part of it is getting absorbed orally regardless. 🤷

melloworca6 said:So I just found out that those chewable or melt-away probiotics aren't really meant to be swallowed whole... I guess it's because they're designed to get absorbed right there in the mouth instead of waiting to hit the stomach or the gut. That's why I was thinking there shouldn't be any big deal if you just let the chewables dissolve in your mouth too, since they mix with your saliva anyway and some of it should technically absorb through the oral lining while you're chewing... 🤷

there is absolutely no way any significant amount is getting absorbed in your mouth

And then I’m just left without a clue. 🙂

Probiotic bacteria tend to settle and grow in specific sections of your gut.

http://katalog.vasezdravlje.com/inde...emart&Itemid=2

Even with chewable probiotic tablets, those little guys don't actually start growing until they reach your intestines anyway. It’s really just a matter of preference—some people find them much easier to take than swallowing a pill.
Maybe try asking over at

http://www.jglprobiotici.com/prolife/

The reason people chew antacids (those meds used to neutralize stomach acid) is because it helps us get

a) more surface area for the medication to work once it hits the stomach
b) it allows the crushed medicine to start neutralizing acid right in the mouth and esophagus, which can help soothe heartburn immediately.

swiftbear86 said:Chewable probiotics end up in the gut anyway, so it’s really just a matter of which delivery method someone finds easiest to swallow.

Fair enough.

However, your colleagues over at http://www.cvs.com/health/probiotics-uses.html suggest something different regarding chewable probiotic tablets:

We will outline the medicinal forms of probiotics available in our pharmacies, how to use them properly, and some specific products found on the market:

4) Lozenges and chewable tablets—solid oral preparations. Lozenges dissolve slowly in the mouth, whereas chewable tablets aren't meant to be swallowed whole, but rather chewed first.

So, if these probiotics are intended to work in the gut, why shouldn't you just swallow the chewables whole?

I found a similar recommendation on this other link. 🤷

If we were talking about probiotics designed for oral health, the instruction would make sense.

There must be a catch. 🤷

Maria Fisher46 said:Yeah, that makes sense.

But, looking at what the experts over at http://www.cvs.com/health-store/probiotics suggest regarding probiotic chewable tablets:

So, since probiotics are meant to work their magic down in the gut, why shouldn't you just swallow those chewable tablets whole?

I saw a similar recommendation on another link as well. 🤷

If we were talking about probiotics designed specifically for oral health, I guess it would make sense.

There’s gotta be a catch, right? 🤷

I don't want to speculate too much, but one possibility is that chewable formulas use fillers that actually make it harder for the active ingredients to release—basically, they don't dissolve as easily in stomach acid or intestinal juices.
I've got some homework to do now, so once I dig up the actual facts, I'll let you know. 😉

analogbison13 said:melloworca6, this is a great topic 😉 I was actually wondering if you're supposed to chew these or just suck on them—it's one of those antacids that creates a protective barrier like Tums http://www.gaviscon.com/how-gaviscon-works.aspx. Honestly, the taste is pretty unpleasant, so it might be easier to manage if you just let it dissolve slowly 🙂

Does anyone know where I can pick up some Tums around here? Back in 2012, the manufacturer filed it with the FDA, but according to their website, it hasn't actually hit the shelves yet. I'm really looking for an antacid that doesn't contain any nasty aluminum—something like a generic Maalox—or even just straight sodium bicarbonate. Based on a little bit of quick research I did online, this seems like the best option 😁
I know H2 blockers and IPPs exist, but I need something for those occasional, critical moments to supplement the IP that I've been prescribed for my hiatal hernia—especially since my primary care doctor and my gastroenterologist seem to be giving me conflicting advice on the matter 🙄)

Antacids work by neutralizing the hydrochloric acid (HCl) that’s already sitting in your stomach.
That’s why you’ll mostly see them made from weak acid salts, like carbonates.
These carbonates usually come in different forms, such as sodium, magnesium, or aluminum salts.
Basically, when a weak salt meets a strong acid, it displaces the weaker acid—like H2CO3—leaving behind something like MgCl2. It sounds like a lot of heavy chemistry, but it’s really the key to understanding how antacids actually function.
On the other hand, PPIs work differently by blocking the production of stomach acid at the source.

Gaviscon works similarly using a mix of sodium salts.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements...irnije&id=7742

The alginate in those formulas acts like a protective coating for your lining, while the rest of the ingredients go about weakening the HCl.

If you need to avoid sodium for health reasons, look for something like Tums, which uses calcium and magnesium carbonates instead.