The ulcers and sores that can form inside the mouth following chemotherapy can be very painful and expensive for patients. This condition, called oral mucositis, is one of the leading complications related to cancer treatments, as well as one of the most debilitating. Patients routinely report that oral mucositis is one of the worst side effects of chemotherapy drugs, prompting many to seek an effective treatment for this ailment.
While there is not yet a way to completely prevent oral mucositis in those who are susceptible, some treatment options are much more effective than others. To learn how you can stop mouth sores from chemotherapy, read on as our experts discuss this issue.
What Causes Mouth Sores After Chemo?
It’s no secret that the drugs used in chemotherapy target cancerous tissues and healthy tissues alike, the drugs ravage the body even as they attempt to save it – a paradox made evident in the effects of chemo on the mucosal membranes of the mouth. As the drugs circulate through a patient’s blood vessels, reaching the farthest corners of the body, their effects begin to manifest in unintended ways; for instance, exposure to the toxic medications cause the sores, ulcers, and inflammation associated with oral mucositis.
Other Symptoms of Oral Mucositis
These sores can be extremely painful, preventing many patients from eating or drinking and potentially leading to malnutrition that can jeopardize a patient’s treatment regimen. As the sores linger, bleeding can occur, and the open wounds can become infected if not treated properly – a complication that should be avoided at all costs.
Costs of Oral Mucositis
It may seem like a relatively minor inconvenience, but oral mucositis can be quite costly for patients, especially in its more severe forms. In one 2009 study, the incidence of oral mucositis cost patients between $1,700 and $6,000 in additional charges, depending on the severity of the condition. This can come in the form of extra days in the hospital, delays in treatment, or the extended use of parenteral nutrition or pain medication. (Source)
Treating Mouth Sores Caused by Chemotherapy
Though science has yet to develop a perfect treatment for this difficult, costly ailment, patients do have some options for preventative care that can help limit the negative effects of chemo on healthy mouth tissues. These typically come in one of several different forms, including medication, mouthwashes, or cryotherapy.
Medication
The options for medications that reduce risk of oral mucositis are quite limited, although one stands out as a potentially effective aid for some patients. Palifermin is a powdered medication that is mixed with a liquid and administered through an IV; it’s used to prevent the formation of mouth sores and to help them heal faster when they do form. Unfortunately, this drug is only used in patients who have cancers of the blood or bone marrow, specifically, so it’s not helpful to many who suffer from oral mucositis.
Mouthwashes
There are many mouthwashes available to help treat oral mucositis, some of which can even be made at home. Certain cancer centers distribute saline solutions or topical anesthetics in the form of a mouthwash to patients, and some find relief in baking soda mouthwashes. However, each of these treatments have one shortfall in common: they are only useful once the sores in the mouth have formed. In other words, you must already be experiencing the painful symptoms of oral mucositis before a mouthwash will be of any use, and any benefits you see will likely be short-term.
Cryotherapy
In a nutshell, cryotherapy is a proactive protection method that uses cold temperatures to affect the body’s systems; when used to address oral mucositis, frozen objects – usually ice chips or popsicles – are placed in the mouth while the patient receives their chemotherapy treatment. The objective is to shrink the blood vessels of the mouth with low temperatures, thereby limiting the amount of toxic chemo compounds that can reach vulnerable tissues. The advantage of cryotherapy is that it can limit the degree to which oral mucositis occurs at all, making it ideal as a preventative measure. It’s the same basic principle that causes “brain freeze” after eating a frozen treat, but the effect is beneficial in this case.
Though it is arguably the most helpful method of addressing oral mucositis, cryotherapy is only as effective as the delivery system a patient uses. Ice chips tend to simply sit in the bottom of the mouth, cooling the area around the tongue and not much else. Swallowing a large amount of melted ice may cause nausea/vomiting, and it would be difficult or impossible to use ice chips for extended periods of time during lengthy infusions and with long half-life chemotherapy drugs.
By comparison, the Chemo Mouthpiece® offers more effective cryotherapy because it cools the entire oral cavity uniformly for the entire duration of chemo infusion and at home after treatment. This brings greater protection from oral mucositis symptoms than what is offered by ice chips or other common treatments.
Find Relief from Oral Mucositis with the Chemo Mouthpiece
For patients suffering from cancer, dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation can seem overwhelming. That’s why a cancer survivor and engineer invented the Chemo Mouthpiece – so patients have one less thing to worry about during an already difficult time. Find relief from the pain and expense of oral mucositis with the clinically proven Chemo Mouthpiece. For more information, visit us online or call (866) 496-8858 today.