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Any advice for mouth sores during chemo?

Noel
Noel CSN Member Posts: 3,095 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
One of my friends is going thru chemo and she has mouth sores now. I didn't have chemo, so, I don't know what to tell her that might help. Her oncologist only told her to suck on ice chips, which she does, but, is there anything else?

Can you give me some suggestions as to what she can do to help with the mouth sores?


Thanks!


♥ Noel
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Comments

  • Mitzi333
    Mitzi333 CSN Member Posts: 511 Member
    #2
    Simple and EZ...
    Try Baking soda and water. It worked well for me. I used it every day instead of mouthwash and had NO problems with mouth sores. It's quick, ez and inexpensive and most of all it works!!!

    Best Wishes!!!
    Mitzi ;0)
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  • sea60
    sea60 CSN Member Posts: 2,613
    #3
    Hi Noel!
    I know my oncologist had me on Biotene mouthwash during treatment.

    I hope she feels better soon.

    Hugs,

    Sylvia
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  • atiredparent
    atiredparent CSN Member Posts: 45
    #4
    I have read that drinking
    I have read that drinking ice drink or chewing ice during the chemo treatment is suppose to help. I had mouth sores and the doctor gave me a gargle that numbed it. I stayed away from anything spicy or citrusy.
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  • MAJW
    MAJW CSN Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #5
    Mitzi333 said:

    Simple and EZ...
    Try Baking soda and water. It worked well for me. I used it every day instead of mouthwash and had NO problems with mouth sores. It's quick, ez and inexpensive and most of all it works!!!

    Best Wishes!!!
    Mitzi ;0)

    NYSTATIN....
    This was prescribed for me at the start of chemo by a friend who is a Maxillary Facial Surgeon....kept it in the frig....used it 4 times a day...swish and spit out....never had the first mouth sore....baking soda and warm water also helps.....again, it's a prescription.....it also helped a bit when I had no taste buds when used before eating..gave me a bit of taste....

    Best wishes to your friend... Hope this helps her...
    Hugs, Nancy
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  • VickiSam
    VickiSam CSN Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #6
    atiredparent said:

    I have read that drinking
    I have read that drinking ice drink or chewing ice during the chemo treatment is suppose to help. I had mouth sores and the doctor gave me a gargle that numbed it. I stayed away from anything spicy or citrusy.

    .. another idea ---
    change toothbrushes frequently (weekly) -- and I added straight baking soda to my toothbrush and tooth paste daily.

    -- warm salt water, as a gargle

    Hope something alleviates your friends - mouth sores.. I remember the painful experience,
    all too well.

    Strength, Courage and Hope.

    Vicki Sam
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  • Texasgirl10
    Texasgirl10 CSN Member Posts: 668
    #7
    VickiSam said:

    .. another idea ---
    change toothbrushes frequently (weekly) -- and I added straight baking soda to my toothbrush and tooth paste daily.

    -- warm salt water, as a gargle

    Hope something alleviates your friends - mouth sores.. I remember the painful experience,
    all too well.

    Strength, Courage and Hope.

    Vicki Sam

    Lidocaine swish
    My onc prescribed lidocaine swish & it worked great. Also as suggested, chew ice chips during the infusion.

    Dawne
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  • Noel
    Noel CSN Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #8
    Texasgirl10 said:

    Lidocaine swish
    My onc prescribed lidocaine swish & it worked great. Also as suggested, chew ice chips during the infusion.

    Dawne

    Thanks!
    Thank you so much! I am going to see her tomorrow, so, I will give her all of these tips.

    I know you said Nystatin is a prescription, is Lidocaine swish a prescription too?


    ♥ Noel
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  • atiredparent
    atiredparent CSN Member Posts: 45
    #9
    Noel said:

    Thanks!
    Thank you so much! I am going to see her tomorrow, so, I will give her all of these tips.

    I know you said Nystatin is a prescription, is Lidocaine swish a prescription too?


    ♥ Noel

    Yes it is.

    Yes it is.
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  • GrammyKaren
    GrammyKaren CSN Member Posts: 96
    #10
    atiredparent said:

    Yes it is.

    Yes it is.

    mouth soreness
    When I had chemo in 2009, it was dose dense Adria, cytoxan and avastin and my mouth became sensitive to the point where I was afraid to eat anything crisp like toast, crackers and spicy foods , forget about it. I brushed with biotene . Thats a good paste and I used the rinse. Made sure to drink liters of water, especially on infusion days. But it took time so I ate yogurts, rice puddings and creamy soups . Stuff like scrambled eggs and sucked it up. cause it all tasted metallic anyway. Mornings before infusion I would have soft bagel and rice pudding to line my tummy.

    No nauasea no weightloss, but having bm's I wasn't proactive fast enough and it was like passing glass ....

    it all healed so be patient and gentle with yourself.

    Love,
    Karen
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  • carkris
    carkris CSN Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #11
    GrammyKaren said:

    mouth soreness
    When I had chemo in 2009, it was dose dense Adria, cytoxan and avastin and my mouth became sensitive to the point where I was afraid to eat anything crisp like toast, crackers and spicy foods , forget about it. I brushed with biotene . Thats a good paste and I used the rinse. Made sure to drink liters of water, especially on infusion days. But it took time so I ate yogurts, rice puddings and creamy soups . Stuff like scrambled eggs and sucked it up. cause it all tasted metallic anyway. Mornings before infusion I would have soft bagel and rice pudding to line my tummy.

    No nauasea no weightloss, but having bm's I wasn't proactive fast enough and it was like passing glass ....

    it all healed so be patient and gentle with yourself.

    Love,
    Karen

    I rinsed with peredex it is
    I rinsed with peredex it is prescription but I didnt get mouth sores.
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  • Penny67
    Penny67 CSN Member Posts: 65
    #12
    carkris said:

    I rinsed with peredex it is
    I rinsed with peredex it is prescription but I didnt get mouth sores.

    Salt water rinse
    I gargled with salt water rise (I used about a tsp in 3/4 cup warm water) 3-4 times a day. I learned my lesson the first round and got a few mouth sores because I wasn't being religious with the 3-4 times a day. After that I never missed a beat. I truly believe that it helped keep me 100 % free from clods, sores throats, etc the entire time I was undergoing chemo. I asked my NP if I could continue the gargling even though I am done with chemo and she said no problem. I was always someone that had many colds and sore throats from September thru April and this has proven so beneficial!
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  • Noel
    Noel CSN Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #13
    GrammyKaren said:

    mouth soreness
    When I had chemo in 2009, it was dose dense Adria, cytoxan and avastin and my mouth became sensitive to the point where I was afraid to eat anything crisp like toast, crackers and spicy foods , forget about it. I brushed with biotene . Thats a good paste and I used the rinse. Made sure to drink liters of water, especially on infusion days. But it took time so I ate yogurts, rice puddings and creamy soups . Stuff like scrambled eggs and sucked it up. cause it all tasted metallic anyway. Mornings before infusion I would have soft bagel and rice pudding to line my tummy.

    No nauasea no weightloss, but having bm's I wasn't proactive fast enough and it was like passing glass ....

    it all healed so be patient and gentle with yourself.

    Love,
    Karen

    You are all the best! I
    You are all the best! I told her about everything you posted and she tried the biotene and it has helped with the dryness already. She is going to have her onco give her a prescription for the others you wrote about.


    She is very appreciative of your advice and wanted me to be sure and thank you! Thanks pink sisters!



    Hugs, Noel
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  • Kristin N
    Kristin N CSN Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #14
    sea60 said:

    Hi Noel!
    I know my oncologist had me on Biotene mouthwash during treatment.

    I hope she feels better soon.

    Hugs,

    Sylvia

    Biotene mouthwash and spray
    Biotene mouthwash and spray work for some Noel. You can buy it any drugstore.
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