Preventing Mouth Sores

BetsyJane
BetsyJane Member Posts: 127
in Breast Cancer #1
Chemo can give mouth sores and my oncologist told me not to brush with my regular toothpaste. So my husband went to our local pharmacy and bought me Arm and Hammer Advanced White Baking Soda & Peroxide toothpaste. I never got one mouth sore. I can't guarantee it will work for you, but it did the trick for me.

Comments

  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #2
    Thanks!Always good to have
    Thanks!Always good to have handy chemo tips in our arsenal. I am about to have my 3rd round of chemo, and I take a bag of ice chips with me and eat them during the infusion. ( I also take a second bag and keep my fingers half-frozen to hopefully stave off neuropathy!) I use a baby toothbrush, bioteen toothpaste and mouthwash, and I bite open Vitamin E capsules before I go to bed and coat my mouth and lips with it..so far no neuropthy or mouthsores for me either! YAY
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #3
    Hope this helps
    My daughter and I suffer from recurrent mouth sores (aphthous stomatitis). Here are some things that I have learned that may help prevent mouth sores:
    1) Rinse regularly (at least twice a day) using a non-alcoholic mouthwash.
    2) Try and use a toothpaste that does not have SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). There are some studies correlating mouthsores with using a toothpaste that contains SLS. It is hard to find one without SLS and you may have to go to a pharmacy to find one.
    3) Consider avoiding milk while on chemo as there is also some research implicating milk as a cause.
    4) Mouthsores are usually also associated with abrasion so use a soft toothbrush and avoid spicy foods or anything that can be hard on the lining of your mouth.

    Here are some more tips from Chemo Care:
    Managing Mouth Sores due to Chemotherapy
    http://www.chemocare.com/managing/mouth_sores_due_to_chemotherapy.asp

    "Things you can do to manage oral problems and bad mouth sores from chemotherapy:
    •Keep mouth and lips moist: ◦Rinse mouth with water frequently (every 2 hrs while awake & when awake during the night). May add salt or baking soda (1/2 to 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water).
    ◦Use saliva substitute (commercially available) if needed.
    ◦Apply lip moisturizer often (i.e. chap stick).Suck on hard candies.
    ◦Keep mouth & teeth clean.
    ◦Use soft-bristle toothbrush (can soften even more by placing brush in very warm water), cotton swabs, mouth swabs (popsicle stick covered with gauze) to clean teeth after each meal and at bedtime.
    ◦Clean dentures and/or bridge after eating. Leave out dentures if experiencing any discomfort.
    ◦Floss gently with unwaxed floss (if platelet count adequate).
    ◦May use Water-Pik.

    •Avoid: ◦Mouthwash containing alcohol.
    ◦Lemon glycerin swabs.

    •Treat the discomfort/pain. ◦Use topical or local agents such as Orajel, or Zilactin-B apply generously.
    ◦Combination mouth wash can be made (ingredients may require prescription).
    ◦Use equal parts: xylocaine viscous solution, Zovirax® (alcohol-free), and Maalox®, or Mylanta®.
    ◦Take 2 teaspoons every 2-4 hours as needed (swish around mouth and spit out).
    ◦May be advised by healthcare provider to swallow if experiencing discomfort while swallowing.

    •For severe pain: oral or intravenous pain medication* may be required in addition to topical medication . (* prescribed by healthcare provider)."
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #4
    CypressCynthia said:

    Hope this helps
    My daughter and I suffer from recurrent mouth sores (aphthous stomatitis). Here are some things that I have learned that may help prevent mouth sores:
    1) Rinse regularly (at least twice a day) using a non-alcoholic mouthwash.
    2) Try and use a toothpaste that does not have SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). There are some studies correlating mouthsores with using a toothpaste that contains SLS. It is hard to find one without SLS and you may have to go to a pharmacy to find one.
    3) Consider avoiding milk while on chemo as there is also some research implicating milk as a cause.
    4) Mouthsores are usually also associated with abrasion so use a soft toothbrush and avoid spicy foods or anything that can be hard on the lining of your mouth.

    Here are some more tips from Chemo Care:
    Managing Mouth Sores due to Chemotherapy
    http://www.chemocare.com/managing/mouth_sores_due_to_chemotherapy.asp

    "Things you can do to manage oral problems and bad mouth sores from chemotherapy:
    •Keep mouth and lips moist: ◦Rinse mouth with water frequently (every 2 hrs while awake & when awake during the night). May add salt or baking soda (1/2 to 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water).
    ◦Use saliva substitute (commercially available) if needed.
    ◦Apply lip moisturizer often (i.e. chap stick).Suck on hard candies.
    ◦Keep mouth & teeth clean.
    ◦Use soft-bristle toothbrush (can soften even more by placing brush in very warm water), cotton swabs, mouth swabs (popsicle stick covered with gauze) to clean teeth after each meal and at bedtime.
    ◦Clean dentures and/or bridge after eating. Leave out dentures if experiencing any discomfort.
    ◦Floss gently with unwaxed floss (if platelet count adequate).
    ◦May use Water-Pik.

    •Avoid: ◦Mouthwash containing alcohol.
    ◦Lemon glycerin swabs.

    •Treat the discomfort/pain. ◦Use topical or local agents such as Orajel, or Zilactin-B apply generously.
    ◦Combination mouth wash can be made (ingredients may require prescription).
    ◦Use equal parts: xylocaine viscous solution, Zovirax® (alcohol-free), and Maalox®, or Mylanta®.
    ◦Take 2 teaspoons every 2-4 hours as needed (swish around mouth and spit out).
    ◦May be advised by healthcare provider to swallow if experiencing discomfort while swallowing.

    •For severe pain: oral or intravenous pain medication* may be required in addition to topical medication . (* prescribed by healthcare provider)."

    Wowsers
    Did you have the low down on this or what! Biotene was my buddy at the time.
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #5
    laughs_a_lot said:

    Wowsers
    Did you have the low down on this or what! Biotene was my buddy at the time.

    I started using Biotene with
    I started using Biotene with my first chemo treatment, and i didnt develop mouth sores during my A/C infusions. I had 2 taxotere infusions following the A/C, and I did get mouth sores after each treatment. I got a prescription for something called Mary's Magic Mouthwash, and that worked well.

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