In Sql Server I am using an XML type column to store a message. I do not want to store duplicate messages.

I only will have a few messages per user. I am currently querying the table for these messages, converting the XML to string in my C# code. I then compare the strings with what I am about to insert.

Unfortunately, Sql Server pretty-prints the data in the XML typed fields. What you store into the database is not necessarily exactly the same string as what you get back out later. It is functionally equivalent, but may have white space removed, etc.

Is there an efficient way to compare an XML string that I am considering inserting with those that are already in the database? As an aside, if I detect a duplicate I need to delete the older message then insert the replacement.