Oral mucositis and saliva changes

Oral mucositis and a dry mouth are considered more severe side effects of cancer treatment.

Learn more about:

• Oral mucositis
• Dry mouth and saliva changes

Oral mucositis

Radiation therapy to the head or neck area, some chemotherapy and targeted therapy drugs, or high-dose chemotherapy before a stem cell transplant can damage the cells lining the mouth. This is known as oral mucositis. Being treated with both chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation) increases the risk.

Symptoms include:

• painful spots, sores or ulcers in your mouth
• bleeding in the mouth
• mouth infections such as oral thrush
• difficulty and pain with eating, swallowing or wearing dentures
• sensitivity to hot, cold, salty, spicy or acidic foods and drinks.

Your doctor can give you medicines to reduce the discomfort when you eat, drink or speak. Some medicines can be applied directly to the mouth sores to numb them. Mucositis usually gets better a few weeks or months after treatment ends.

Dry mouth and saliva changes

Radiation therapy or surgery to the head or neck area, some chemotherapy drugs and some pain medicines can reduce the amount of saliva (spit) in your mouth, make your mouth dry or make your saliva thick and sticky. This is known as xerostomia.

Symptoms include:

• not having as much saliva as usual
• thick or stringy saliva
• a sticky or dry feeling in your mouth
• problems chewing, tasting and swallowing
• finding it hard to speak (the tongue may have trouble moving)
• ridges or cracks on the tongue surface or the corners of the mouth
• difficulty with swallowing saliva or spitting it out.

Thick, sticky saliva or a dry mouth can make it harder to keep your teeth and mouth clean, which can increase the risk of tooth decay and mouth infections such as oral thrush. Thick saliva tends to improve in the weeks after treatment. Dry mouth from radiation therapy to the head and neck area can last for many months after treatment. For some people, it can be permanent.

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