Congestion and nasal symptoms related to allergies, a cold, or the flu are unavoidable. When you go to the drug store or pharmacy to find some relief the many choices can seem over whelming, especially when you’re under the weather. We’ve reviewed and compared Ocean Saline Nasal Spray and Xlear® Nasal Spray, with both saline and xylitol, to give you the information you need to choose at your fingertips.

As two of the most popular brands on the market, we’ve found there are a few similarities and also a few differences between the two products. Both Ocean Saline and Xlear® nasal sprays are safe for daily use. Other nasal sprays including steroidal and decongestant sprays contain potent active ingredients and can become addictive and harmful over time. Ocean Saline and Xlear Xylitol and Saline relieve congestion and assist in breathing better.

The differences we’ve found truly set the two apart. Ocean Saline does contain a saline solution; however it also contains artificial preservatives (phenylcarbinol and benzalkonium chloride). Xlear Xylitol and Saline Nasal Spray is all natural and uses grapefruit seed extract as a preservative. Saline is salt water and it can further irritate your sensitive tissues, leaving you more susceptible to further infection. One of the things that researchers in Iowa found was that our own nasal defenses are hurt by too much sodium, one of the elements in salt.

The addition of xylitol pulls more water into the nose over a longer period of time to help reduce this harmful effect of saline. This extra water helps cleanse and moisturize the nasal passages for a longer time.  

Not only does the xylitol help to relieve congestion and wash away airborne irritants which are causing your symptoms, it prevents many of them from holding on to the cells that line our airways. If you need more information about how xylitol works there is some more information and references here.

Very similar in function and intention, Ocean Saline and Xlear® Nasal Sprays are safe for use by people of all ages. The difference comes down to ingredients and effectiveness over time.

Visit our products page to find more information about each of these nasal sprays and find out where you can purchase them.

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