Lifestyle
Oral health during cancer treatment
Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can have a significant impact on oral health, making good dental hygiene important before, during and after treatment.
In this article Lynne Coulter, a Dental Hygienist, shares her professional knowledge, experience and practical advice on caring for your mouth.
We have also included tips from our Facebook Support Group for maintaining healthy teeth and gums, managing dry mouth and helping to prevent tooth decay. You will find their tips throughout this article in blue italics.
We hope you find these helpful. Please remember that everyone’s experience is different, and something that works well for one person may not be suitable for another.
Start with a healthy mouth
Where possible, have a dental check-up/assessment before treatment begins. Identify and manage decay and other dental problems and anything likely to cause difficulties during treatment. Your dental team can also share advice.
- Make a dentist and hygienist appointment as soon as possible before treatment starts and again as soon as you can after treatment.
The daily essentials
- Brush effectively both teeth and gums.
- Use a small-headed, medium-sized toothbrush and pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Spit out excess toothpaste. Do not rinse.
- Using a soft brush for a short period of time may be helpful if your mouth becomes sore.
- Using the correct sized interdental brushes or dental tape will remove the plaque from areas where your toothbrush misses.
- Use dental floss, tape or interdental brushes to clean between teeth.
- Fluoride is important to strengthen the teeth and prevent tooth decay. This is particularly beneficial if your saliva is reduced and your mouth becomes dry.
- Your dental team may recommend high-fluoride toothpaste.
When your mouth is dry and/or sore
Keep your mouth hydrated. Sip water regularly and ask about saliva substitutes or moisturisers if needed. Maintaining hydration is particularly important when the oral tissues and teeth are affected by treatment.
For many adults, aiming for around two litres of water daily will be helpful, but individual needs vary. You could also experiment with gels, sprays, and mouthwashes from companies such as BioXtra, Biotene, Gengigel, Oralieve.
- I was prescribed Difflam oral rinse which was effective for my painful gums.
- Use a toothpaste with zero or minimal sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), which is a common chemical compound used as a foaming agent.
- I was prescribed Biotene dry mouth relief mouthwash to help with dry mouth (similar products may be available).
- Products such as Xylimelts stimulate salivary flow. Xylimelts are small, slow-dissolving adhesive discs that can be placed on the inside of upper cheeks, opposite both upper 1st molars, before going to sleep and provide prolonged moisture.
- A little dehumidifier beside the bed has helped me not wake up with a dry mouth.
- Fresh pineapple, lightly bite-sized in a food processor, then frozen in ice–cube trays worked for me. I sucked on these reguarly, especially before having any food.
- I sipped on coconut water to stay hydrated and stop dry mouth.
- Ice cubes can help with burning sensation. Drink plenty of water.
- Chewing sugar free gum (and ones containing Xylitol) or sugar free mints may help stimulate your own saliva.
Sipping juices, sucking sweets, and enjoying ice lollies may provide short-term relief and comfort. However, try to limit sugary and acidic food and drinks to avoid tooth decay and erosion. Think not just about how much you are eating or drinking, but how often – minimise repeated exposure to sugar and acid where practical, but don’t restrict foods needed to maintain nutrition and ease discomfort.
Where possible, involve your dentist and dental hygienist before, during and after treatment. They can help prevent problems, adapt your oral hygiene routine and provide a personalised oral-care plan.
This information is not intended to be medical advice and is not a replacement for advice from your medical or dental team.
Connect with other people affected by lymphoma from across the UK in our Facebook Support Group. It's a safe space to share thoughts, feelings, experiences, tips and non-medical questions.
