Site Map

Dry mouth during cancer treatment

Chemotherapy - dry mouth; Radiation therapy - dry mouth; Transplant - dry mouth; Transplantation - dry mouth

I Would Like to Learn About:

Description

Some cancer treatments and medicines can cause dry mouth. Take good care of your mouth during your cancer treatment. Follow the measures outlined below.

What to Expect

Symptoms of dry mouth include:

Take Care of Your Mouth

Not caring for your mouth during cancer treatment can lead to an increase in bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria can cause infection in your mouth, which can spread to other parts of your body.

Rinse your mouth 5 or 6 times a day for 1 to 2 minutes each time. Use the following solution when you rinse:

Do not use mouth rinses that have alcohol in them. You may use an antibacterial rinse 2 to 4 times a day for gum disease.

Other tips for taking care of your mouth include:

Talk with your dentist about:

Diet

You need to eat enough protein and calories to keep your weight up. Ask your health care provider about liquid food supplements that can help you meet your caloric needs and keep up your strength.

To make eating easier:

Drink 8 to 12 c (2 to 3 L) of liquid each day (not including coffee, tea, or other drinks that have caffeine).

Do not drink alcohol or beverages that contain alcohol. They will bother your throat.

Avoid foods that are very spicy, that contain a lot of acid, or that are very hot or very cold.

If pills are hard to swallow, ask your provider if it is OK to crush your pills. (Some pills do not work if they are crushed.) If it is OK, crush them up and add them to some ice cream or another soft food.

Related Information

Mastectomy
Bone marrow transplant
Oral cancer
Throat or larynx cancer
Bone marrow transplant - discharge
After chemotherapy - discharge
Bleeding during cancer treatment
Dementia and driving
Dementia - behavior and sleep problems
Dementia - daily care
Dementia - keeping safe in the home
Abdominal radiation - discharge
Brain radiation - discharge
Breast external beam radiation - discharge
Chest radiation - discharge
Mouth and neck radiation - discharge
Drinking water safely during cancer treatment
Safe eating during cancer treatment
Swallowing problems
Chemotherapy - what to ask your doctor
Radiation therapy - questions to ask your doctor

References

Majithia N, Hallemeier CL, Loprinzi CL. Oral complications. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 40.

National Cancer Institute website. Chemotherapy and you: support for people with cancer. www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/chemotherapy-and-you.pdf. Updated January 2024. Accessed May 29, 2024.

National Cancer Institute website. Mouth and throat problems: cancer treatment side effects. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/mouth-throat. Updated September 24, 2021. Accessed May 29, 2024.

National Cancer Institute website. Oral complications of cancer therapies (PDQ)–health professional version. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/mouth-throat/oral-complications-hp-pdq. Updated February 16, 2024. Accessed May 29, 2024.

BACK TO TOP

Review Date: 3/31/2024  

Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

ADAM Quality Logo
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.