Cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy) causes chemo mouth by damaging the cells in mouth and throat. This damage can lead to inflammation, pain, dry mouth, taste alterations, difficulty in swallowing, and sometimes development of mouth sores or ulcers. Chemo mouth sores, also known as oral mucositis, is the most common oral side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Causes of Chemo Mouth
The cancer treatment usually has a combination of treatments, such as, surgery with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and Keytruda. The common type of chemotherapy drugs is listed below based on their mode of action.1
Charles Deano Cook, a Stage 4 throat cancer survivor, using H2Ocean Red Sea Salt Healing Rinse to manage oral side effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
Alkylating Agents: These chemotherapy drugs work by disrupting the DNA inside cells, which prevents them from dividing. E.g. Altretamine, Busulfan, Carboplatin, Carmustine, Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide, Dacarbazine, Ifosfamide, Lomustine, Melphalan, Temozolomide, and Trabectedin.
Antimetabolites: These chemotherapy drugs work by killing the cancer cells to death by acting as nutrient to the cells. E.g. 5-fluorouracil, 6-mercaptopurine, Azacitidine, Capecitabine, Clofarabine, Cytarabine, Floxuridine, Fludarabine, Gemcitabine , Methotrexate, Pemetrexed, Pentostatin, and Pralatrexate.
Plant Alkaloids: These chemotherapy drugs are plant based that prevent cancerous cells from dividing and growing into more cells. E.g. Vincristine, Vinblastine, Vinorelbine, Paclitaxel, Docetaxel, Etoposide, Teniposide, Irinotecan, and Topotecan.
Anti-Tumor Antibiotics: These chemotherapy drugs by causing DNA strands to unravel, which prevents the cell from dividing. E.g. Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Doxorubicin liposomal, Epirubicin, Idarubicin, and Valrubicin.
Cancer treatment results in numerous side effects that affects almost all part of the body, and chemo mouth is one of the major noticeable oral side effects observed in the majority of the cancer patients.
Oral side effects resulting from cancer treatment are often unavoidable. However, by carefully choosing oral care products, particularly all natural Red Sea salt water rinse, before, during and after the cancer treatment, it’s possible to minimize chemo mouth symptoms and have better oral health.
Common Symptoms of Chemo Mouth
Cancer treatment, particularly radiation therapy and chemotherapy, can have a wide range of effects on various anatomical parts of the oral cavity, including teeth, gums, salivary glands, the tongue, and the hard and soft palate.
The commonly observed symptoms observed in chemo mouth are:
- Painful ulceration and sores in the mouth
- Redness, swelling, and inflammation of the oral tissues
- Dry mouth (Xerostomia) due to reduced salivary production
- Difficulty in swallowing (Dysphagia)
- Alteration or loss of taste (Metal taste)
- Increased risk of gum (periodontal) infection
- Bad breath (Halitosis)
- Dental cavities (caries)
- Opportunistic infections such as oral thrush (Candida)
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can affect various parts of the oral cavity, causing discomfort and complications.
Chemo Mouth Management
There is no absolute cure for Chemo Mouth Sores (chemo mouth). Reducing the severity of chemo mouth sores can help relieve symptoms associated with chemo mouth. Early management of chemo mouth can help to prevent the symptoms from worsening.
Chemo mouth management requires a multiple approach as listed below:
Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene in Cancer Survivorship
It is very important to maintain good oral hygiene in the mouth during the cancer treatment. Keeping mouth clean by brushing the teeth twice daily with a soft bristled toothbrush, regular flossing, and using all natural Red Sea saltwater rinse three to four times a day. It is important to use gentle sea salt based natural saltwater rinse, because it will not only calm the ulcerated tissues but also provide the minerals that help restore oral health.
Careful Food Selection for Chemo Mouth
In chemo mouth, it is recommended to avoid spicy foods, alcohol, and acidic beverages. These food ingredients, consequently, can further irritate and worsen the symptoms. To reduce the chances of dental caries, it is advised to avoid sticky and sugar rich foods.
Frequent Hydration for Chemo Mouth Sores
Keeping the chemo mouth hydrated through frequent water intake will help to keep the oral cavity moist and further prevent it from drying out.
H2Ocean Red Sea Salt Water Rinse is a proven solution for managing oral side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Medications in Oral Mucositis
A dentist or oncologist may prescribe pain management medications, including antibiotics, to alleviate the chemo mouth symptoms based on the severity of the chemo mouth conditions.
Dentists examining the oral side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Regular Dental Check Up in Cancer Survivorship
Frequent dental examinations and cleanings will certainly help to keep the chemo mouth clean and prevent dental diseases.
Regular oral care products are ineffective in managing the unique challenges of chemo mouth.
Avoiding Irritating Oral Care Products
In order to reduce the discomfort, such as burning and stinging, associated with chemo mouth, it is important to avoid irritating oral care products. Oral care products that contain alcohol, artificial colors, chlorhexidine, harsh chemicals, and preservatives are not good for chemo mouth.
H2Ocean Red Sea Salt Water Rinse offers added benefits with minerals, lysozyme, and xylitol, successfully managing chemo mouth symptoms.
Opting for gentle, mineral enriched sea saltwater rinse would be an excellent and safer choice for managing the chemo mouth symptoms. H2Ocean Red Sea salt based saltwater rinse is the most safe, effective and fast acting saltwater rinse for managing the oral side effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.