Chemo, Cancer and Mouth Sores

Biotene which you  can get at the drugstore is a toothpaste that doesn't contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and doesn't cause much irritation.  The mouthwash is soothing and and gentle.  The mouth moisturizers might help lubricate the mouth and help with dry mouth.  A low acid, bland diet is also helpful.  Avoiding citrus fruits and juices and anything hot and spicy is recommended.  Soft and pureed foods are easier to get down than foods that require a lot of chewing.  Ensure,Slim- Fast or Boost shakes are easy and they are packed with nutrition and the calories they need.  Your dentist or oncologist can prescribe viscous lidocaine and rinse with it as needed.   If you are doing it before eating this will numb the mouth and palate.  Some need to take anything from Tylenol to Vicodin depending on the pain level an hour before meal time.  Even with a sore mouth try hard to clean the mouth thoroughly -secondary infections can occur and fungal infections or Thrush can happen during chemo.  The flouride tooth paste ProDenX made be Zila  is SLS free.   A mixture of equal parts of liquid Benadryl and Malox is a great rinse for radiation patients.  Be sure to get  fluoride trays made at the dentist so it will help protect the teeth from root caries which are bacteria which will cause a lot of decay quickly- these trays should be used daily with a small amout of prescription fluoride which is 5x stronger than regular toothpase.