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Everything You Should Know About Mouth Sores from Chemotherapy

While you’re receiving treatment for cancer, some of the drugs you take can cause painful sores to develop inside your mouth. You can also get them if you’ve had a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant as part of your cancer care.

Although they often heal on their own, these mouth sores can make it uncomfortable to eat and talk. We’ll discuss what you can do to relieve the pain and prevent them from getting worse.

What are cancer treatment mouth sores?

Mouth sores can be a common side effect of cancer treatment. The condition, known as stomatitis or mucositis, is an inflammation of the tissues inside your mouth.

Whitish, ulcer-like sores can form on your cheeks, gums, lips, tongue, or on the roof or floor of your mouth. Even if you don’t develop mouth ulcers, you may have patches that feel inflamed and painful, as if they’ve been burned.

Anyone who is receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant can develop mouth sores as a side effect of these treatments.

If you have dry mouth or gum disease, or if your teeth and gums are not well taken care of, you may be at a higher risk of getting mouth sores during your treatment. Women and people who smoke or drink alcohol are also at a higher risk, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.

If you’re receiving chemotherapy, the sores could begin forming anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks after your treatment. Depending on the specific cause, the sores could go away on their own in a few weeks, or they could last longer.

It’s important to find ways to manage your pain and to watch for signs of an infection. Cancer-related mouth sores can lead to weight loss, dehydration, and other serious complications.

How are mouth sores treated?

There are a few different ways that you can help mouth sores heal and avoid prolonger pain or an infection.

Good dental hygiene

While the sores are healing, it’s very important to keep the inside of your mouth clean to prevent an infection from developing.

The National Cancer InstituteTrusted Source recommends that you gently clean your teeth every 4 hours and just before you go to sleep at night. Here are a few tips to consider:

Use a toothbrush with very soft bristles to clean your teeth. You can soften bristles by running your toothbrush under hot water.

Rinse with a mild mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol. Rinsing with plain water is fine.

If the sores get crusty, you can rinse with a solution made with equal parts water or saltwater and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Limit this treatment to only 2 days, as it can slow the healing of the sores if used longer.

Keep up with a gentle daily flossing routine.

To reduce pain, dab a topical oral pain medication like benzocaine (Orajel) onto affected areas.

Regular rinses

If the pain from mouth sores is interfering with your ability to eat and drink, a doctor may treat the condition with a opioid mouthwashTrusted Source or one containing doxepin or lidocaineTrusted Source.

To ease discomfort and keep your mouth from feeling dry, you may want to try rinsing with a mild saltwater or baking soda solution. Here’s how to make each of them:

Saltwater solution. Stir 1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt into 4 cups (1 liters) of water until dissolved.

Baking soda solution. Add 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda to 8 ounces (240 milliliters) of water and mix thoroughly.

Your cancer care team may recommend that you use a lubricating liquid (artificial saliva) to moisten the inside of your mouth if dryness is a problem. These liquids are usually gel-like. They coat your mouth with a thin film to help ease discomfort and promote healing.

Some people have found it useful to rinse with a blend of medications called the magic mouthwash. Formulas for this mouthwash vary, but most of them include a combination of medications to treat different symptoms, including:

antihistamines

corticosteroids

antifungals

anesthetics

antacids

antibiotics

Magic or miracle mouthwash solutions usually have to be prescribed by a doctor and prepared by a pharmacist, although some people mix up an over-the-counter version at home.

There isn’t enough research to say for sure whether magic mouthwash works. If you think you’d like to try it, talk with your oncologist or a healthcare professional about whether it’s a good idea for you.

Preventative treatments

Cryotherapy

For certain kinds of chemotherapy (bolus 5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy and some high-dose therapies), your healthcare team may give you ice chips to chew for 30 minutes before your treatment. This type of cold therapy can lower your risk of getting mouth sores later.

Palifermin

During treatment of some blood cancers, doctors may give you injections of palifermin, also known as human keratinocyte growth factor-1 (KGF-1), to prevent mouth sores.

Low-level laser therapy

If you’re scheduled to receive high-dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy, your cancer care team may prepare your mouth using low-level laser therapy beforehand to keep you from getting mouth sores.

Benzydamine mouthwash

For people who have radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, doctors may prescribe this medicated mouthwash to minimize mouth sores.

(05/25/2021)
by Health Line

More Information: https://www.healthline.com/health/mouth-sores-from-chemo#prevention

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