A 'wafer' that melts on the tongue could be the new way to help impotent men.

The wafer, which is similar to breath freshener strips sold in sweet shops, appears to work quicker than Viagra and contains the same active ingredients as other erectile dysfunction medication, but in smaller molecules, reports the Daily Mail.

Drugs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra take around 30 minutes to an hour to work, and some times that delay has proved a passion-killer for many couples.

The wafer, on the other hand, released similar amounts of medicine into the bloodstream as a pill, but 30 per cent more quickly.

This is because the tissues lining the mouth are packed with hundreds of tiny blood vessels, which lie near the surface of the cheek, and under the tongue -these provide a quick access route into the bloodstream.

Manufacturer Canadian firm IntelGenx is planning bigger trials to confirm the initial findings, and if successful, could also be used to develop fast-acting ''wafers'' for pain relief, high blood pressure and depression.

"This could benefit a great many men. A similar type of wafer is already used in the treatment of migraine, where it's important to tackle pain quickly. Anything that is able to melt on the tongue will have a faster response time than a pill," said Dr David Edwards, a specialist in sexual medicine from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.