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This information is about how you can help yourself if you are having problems with a dry mouth, which is also called xerostomia, due to cancer treatment. If your dry mouth is due to radiotherapy treatment, you may also find it helpful to read our information about radiotherapy and diet.
Saliva, or spit, is the fluid produced by the salivary glands, which are situated around the jaw and under the tongue. Saliva keeps the mouth clean and helps to prevent infection. It also protects your teeth, as a lack of saliva can increase your risk of developing tooth decay or gum disease.
When you eat, more saliva is produced to moisten the food, which makes it easier to chew and swallow, as well as beginning the process of digestion. A lack of saliva can change the taste of the food you eat and may also mean that you cannot swallow food so well.
Radiotherapy treatment to the head and neck, or mouth, can affect the salivary glands, so that less saliva is produced. The glands may recover over time (sometimes this takes several months), but for some people the dry mouth may be permanent.
It is important to tell your doctor if you have a dry mouth, as they may be able to prescribe medicines to help. These include nicotinic acid tablets and pilocarpine (Salagen®).
These drugs stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva and will only work if the damage to the glands is temporary or partial. Two or three months of continuous treatment with pilocarpine may be needed before it is effective in stimulating temporarily damaged salivary glands to work again.
Unfortunately, nicotinic acid tablets and pilocarpine do not work if the damage to the glands is permanent.
Like many drugs, pilocarpine and nicotinic acid have side effects. Pilocarpine can cause sweats, nausea and vomiting. Nicotinic acid can cause dizziness, headaches and sometimes palpitations.
Artificial saliva products can also be helpful for moistening the mouth. As their effect may last only for a short time, it is best to use them just before meals and at night to prevent the dryness from disturbing your sleep. Several brands are available and they come in the form of a gel, spray, pastille or tablet. You may find it helpful to try more than one form of artificial saliva brand to find out which one suits you best.
Keeping your mouth clean As saliva helps to keep your mouth clean, it is important to brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush after each meal, and to use mouthwashes regularly. However, mouthwashes containing detergents or alcohol should be avoided as they can dry and irritate the lining of the mouth. Your doctor or nurse will be able to advise you about the best mouthwash to use. Regular dental check-ups are essential, too, as the risk of developing tooth decay is far greater due to the lack of saliva.
Encouraging saliva production If your salivary glands are still able to produce some saliva, sucking sugar-free sweets or chewing sugar-free gum can encourage saliva production. Pineapple chunks, ice cubes and frozen tonic water, yoghurt and buttermilk can also be helpful, although some people find that very cold foods or drinks may be too uncomfortable to use.
Keeping your mouth moist To keep your mouth moist you can drink sips of water or sugar-free fizzy drinks regularly throughout the day. Also, rinsing your mouth with a little vegetable oil (about a teaspoonful), or a small amount of softened butter or margarine can help, especially at night.
Cut down or avoid substances that can dry the mouth, such as alcohol, caffeine and smoking. Some prescribed medicines can also cause a dry mouth and it can be helpful to ask your doctor or nurse to identify these, as it may be possible to reduce the dosage or change the drug.
It may also be helpful to try acupuncture as this may sometimes increase the amount of saliva that is produced.
Boosting appetite Many people can lose their appetite due to a dry mouth, or may find that foods taste different, which can cause eating difficulties. Here are some tips that can make food more palatable:
This section has been compiled using information from a number of reliable sources including:
For further references, please see the general bibliography.
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