What are cancer treatment mouth sores?
Mouth sores can be a common side effect of cancer treatment. The condition, known as mucositis, is an inflammation of the tissues inside your mouth.
Whitish, ulcer-like sores can form on your cheeks, gums, lips, tongue, or on the roof or floor of your mouth. Even if you don’t develop mouth ulcers, you may have patches that feel inflamed and painful, as if they’ve been burned.
Anyone who is receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy can develop mouth sores as a side effect of these treatments.
If you have dry mouth or gum disease or if your teeth and gums are not well taken care of, you may be at a higher risk of getting mouth sores during your treatment.
If you’re receiving chemotherapy, the sores could begin forming anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks after your treatment. Depending on the specific cause, the sores could go away on their own in a few weeks, or they could last longer.
It’s important to manage your pain and to watch for signs of an infection. Cancer-related mouth sores can lead to weight loss, dehydration, and other serious complications.
What are the symptoms of mucositis?
You may notice symptoms anywhere between a few days and a few weeks after your cancer treatment. Here’s what you may see and feel as mucositis develops:
- red or white patches
- open sores (like ulcers or canker sores)
- pain
- swelling
- bleeding
- sore throat
- difficulty eating, drinking, or swallowing
- necrosis (“dead” tissue)
- You may notice that the sores become slightly crusty as they heal. It’s important to keep track of your symptoms and let your oncologist know if the sores aren’t healing on their own.
Contact a doctor right away if you:
- develop a fever
- begin to lose weight because you can’t eat or drink properly
- your sores worsen or become more painful Untreated mouth sores can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and life-threatening infections.
How long do mouth sores last?
The length of time your mouth sores may last depends on the specific cancer treatment you’ve had. Here are some estimates
Chemotherapy. If you have sores following chemotherapy, they will probably heal within 2 to 4 weeks, as long as an infection doesn’t develop.
Radiation therapy. If your sores are related to radiation therapy, the healing process can take a little longer — generally 6 to 8 weeks.
Chemoradiation. If you have had chemoradiation with a stem cell transplant, sores may go away in as little as 2 weeks.
Tips for dealing with mouth sores
Here are a few more things you can try at home that may help ease pain from mouth sores:
- Chew ice chips to help numb painful areas.
- Stop smoking or using tobacco products.
- Dab on an over-the-counter oral pain medication to ease discomfort.
- Limit or avoid spicy, salty, and acidic foods.
- Choose soft foods that don’t require you to chew a lot.
- Make sure your food is not too hot or too cold.
- Pass up foods with sharp edges, such as chips, that could be painful to eat.
- Rinse your mouth often with cool water, a medicated rinse, saltwater, or baking soda solutions.
- Take care of your teeth and gums with good dental hygiene practices.
- Eat fruits, vegetables and high-quality proteins to promote your overall health.
*ALOE VERA topical oral gel before radiation treatments significantly reduces dry mouth, sores and altered taste!