Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesFoods to EatFood to AvoidHow to EatCopingWhen to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Foods to Eat
Food to Avoid
How to Eat
Coping
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
The loss of appetite is common when undergoing cancer treatment, particularly if you get a common side effect calledoral mucositisthat causes mouth sores. Since proper nutrition is important for healing, you need to find non-irritating foods that you can eat even if you have mouth sores.
This article explains why mouth sores occur in people undergoing cancer treatment. It also lists the types of food you can and cannot eat—as well as thewayto eat—to better cope with treatment-induced oral mucositis.
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How Cancer Treatment Causes Mouth Sores
Over 40% of people undergoing certain cancer treatments will develop oral mucositis. It is most commonly associated withchemotherapybut can also occur withradiation therapyto the head or neck.
Oral mucositis is an especially common occurrence when exposed to the chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or Evomela (melphalan). Other chemotherapy drugs can do the same.
Treatment-induced oral mucositis is the result of the following processes:
The sores can often be extremely painful, making it difficult to eat, talk, and swallow. The sores may even extend into theesophagusthat carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
Foods to Eat If You Have Mucositis
Generally speaking, you will want to eat foods that are soft, non-acidic, non-spicy, and not overly hot if you have oral mucositis. The less you have to chew, the better.
Among the foods recommended for people struggling with oral mucositis are:
Honey can be effective in treating oral mucositis in people with cancer. Research shows that it can alleviate the severity and duration of oral mucositis.Additionally, chamomile, curcumin, and green tea have been found to have benefits for those with oral mucositis.
Honey can be effective in treating oral mucositis in people with cancer. Research shows that it can alleviate the severity and duration of oral mucositis.
Additionally, chamomile, curcumin, and green tea have been found to have benefits for those with oral mucositis.
There are certain foods that can aggravate mouth sores and make the pain worse. Even before starting cancer treatment, take heed of the types of food you should avoid, including:
Foods to Avoid During Chemotherapy
How to Eat if You Have Oral Mucositis
Oral mucositis can be difficult to avoid when undergoing cancer treatment. Still, there are things you can do to get the nutrition you need without worsening the pain. This not only involves the types of food you eat but also thewaythat you eat.
Among some of the more helpful tips:
Nutritional GoalsIt is important to maintain balanced nutrition each day. To do so, you need to eat:Two servings of proteinTwo servings of dairyFive servings of fruits and vegetablesEight to 10 glasses of water or liquids
Nutritional Goals
It is important to maintain balanced nutrition each day. To do so, you need to eat:Two servings of proteinTwo servings of dairyFive servings of fruits and vegetablesEight to 10 glasses of water or liquids
It is important to maintain balanced nutrition each day. To do so, you need to eat:
Coping with Oral Mucositis
In addition to being mindful of what and how you eat, the following can also help you manage mouth sore pain if you have oral mucositis:
Homemade Oral RinseCombine warm water (8 ounces), baking soda (1/4 teaspoon), and salt (1/8 teaspoon), use several times per day.
Homemade Oral Rinse
Combine warm water (8 ounces), baking soda (1/4 teaspoon), and salt (1/8 teaspoon), use several times per day.
How to Deal With Dry Mouth
In addition to mouth sores, radiation treatment can cause dry mouth (xerostomia). If you are experiencing dry mouth in addition to mouth sores, try the following to help keep the moisture levels up:
Let your healthcare provider know right away if:
In severe cases, a medication called Kepivance (palifermin) can be prescribed. Delivered intravenously (into a vein), Kepivance stimulates the growth ofmucosal tissuesand helps reduce the size and pain of mouth sores.
Additional medical actions to take:
Summary
Mouth sores may be a side effect of chemotherapy and radiation. They can make it difficult to eat, drink, and swallow. You can relieve the pain with things like ice chips, Magic Mouthwash, numbing sprays, and eating smaller, more frequent meals.
The foods you eat can also make a big difference. Choose foods that are soft, well-cooked, cold, or pureed. Avoid spicy, hot, salty, acidic, or crunchy foods, as well as caffeine and alcohol.
7 Ways to Eat Well During Chemotherapy
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbosa SCM, Pereira VBM, Wong DVT, et al.Amifostine reduces inflammation and protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis and hyposalivation.Braz J Med Biol Res. 2019;52(3):e8251. doi:10.1590/1414-431X20188251Chaveli-Lopez B, Bagan-Sebastian JV.Treatment of oral mucositis due to chemotherapy.J Clin Exp Dent.2016 Apr;8(2):e201–9. doi:10.4317/jced.52917Choudhary P, Tushir S, Bala M, et al.Exploring the potential of bee-derived antioxidants for maintaining oral hygiene and dental health: A comprehensive review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(7):1452. Published 2023 Jul 19. doi:10.3390/antiox12071452Salehi B, Lopez-Jornet P, Pons-Fuster López E, et al.Plant-Derived Bioactives in Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Key Emphasis to Curcumin, Lycopene, Chamomile,Aloe vera, Green Tea and Coffee Properties.Biomolecules. 2019;9(3):106. Published 2019 Mar 17. doi:10.3390/biom9030106American Cancer Society.American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity.National Cancer Institutes.Mouth and Throat Problems: Cancer Treatment Side Effect.Villa A, Connell CL, Abati S.Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and hyposalivation.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015;11:45-51. doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S76282Lauritano D, Petruzzi M, Di Stasio D, Lucchese A.Clinical effectiveness of palifermin in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a case-control study.Int J Oral Sci.2014 Mar;6(1):27-30, doi:10.1038/ijos.2013.93
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbosa SCM, Pereira VBM, Wong DVT, et al.Amifostine reduces inflammation and protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis and hyposalivation.Braz J Med Biol Res. 2019;52(3):e8251. doi:10.1590/1414-431X20188251Chaveli-Lopez B, Bagan-Sebastian JV.Treatment of oral mucositis due to chemotherapy.J Clin Exp Dent.2016 Apr;8(2):e201–9. doi:10.4317/jced.52917Choudhary P, Tushir S, Bala M, et al.Exploring the potential of bee-derived antioxidants for maintaining oral hygiene and dental health: A comprehensive review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(7):1452. Published 2023 Jul 19. doi:10.3390/antiox12071452Salehi B, Lopez-Jornet P, Pons-Fuster López E, et al.Plant-Derived Bioactives in Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Key Emphasis to Curcumin, Lycopene, Chamomile,Aloe vera, Green Tea and Coffee Properties.Biomolecules. 2019;9(3):106. Published 2019 Mar 17. doi:10.3390/biom9030106American Cancer Society.American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity.National Cancer Institutes.Mouth and Throat Problems: Cancer Treatment Side Effect.Villa A, Connell CL, Abati S.Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and hyposalivation.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015;11:45-51. doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S76282Lauritano D, Petruzzi M, Di Stasio D, Lucchese A.Clinical effectiveness of palifermin in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a case-control study.Int J Oral Sci.2014 Mar;6(1):27-30, doi:10.1038/ijos.2013.93
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Barbosa SCM, Pereira VBM, Wong DVT, et al.Amifostine reduces inflammation and protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis and hyposalivation.Braz J Med Biol Res. 2019;52(3):e8251. doi:10.1590/1414-431X20188251Chaveli-Lopez B, Bagan-Sebastian JV.Treatment of oral mucositis due to chemotherapy.J Clin Exp Dent.2016 Apr;8(2):e201–9. doi:10.4317/jced.52917Choudhary P, Tushir S, Bala M, et al.Exploring the potential of bee-derived antioxidants for maintaining oral hygiene and dental health: A comprehensive review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(7):1452. Published 2023 Jul 19. doi:10.3390/antiox12071452Salehi B, Lopez-Jornet P, Pons-Fuster López E, et al.Plant-Derived Bioactives in Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Key Emphasis to Curcumin, Lycopene, Chamomile,Aloe vera, Green Tea and Coffee Properties.Biomolecules. 2019;9(3):106. Published 2019 Mar 17. doi:10.3390/biom9030106American Cancer Society.American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity.National Cancer Institutes.Mouth and Throat Problems: Cancer Treatment Side Effect.Villa A, Connell CL, Abati S.Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and hyposalivation.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015;11:45-51. doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S76282Lauritano D, Petruzzi M, Di Stasio D, Lucchese A.Clinical effectiveness of palifermin in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a case-control study.Int J Oral Sci.2014 Mar;6(1):27-30, doi:10.1038/ijos.2013.93
Barbosa SCM, Pereira VBM, Wong DVT, et al.Amifostine reduces inflammation and protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis and hyposalivation.Braz J Med Biol Res. 2019;52(3):e8251. doi:10.1590/1414-431X20188251
Chaveli-Lopez B, Bagan-Sebastian JV.Treatment of oral mucositis due to chemotherapy.J Clin Exp Dent.2016 Apr;8(2):e201–9. doi:10.4317/jced.52917
Choudhary P, Tushir S, Bala M, et al.Exploring the potential of bee-derived antioxidants for maintaining oral hygiene and dental health: A comprehensive review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(7):1452. Published 2023 Jul 19. doi:10.3390/antiox12071452
Salehi B, Lopez-Jornet P, Pons-Fuster López E, et al.Plant-Derived Bioactives in Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Key Emphasis to Curcumin, Lycopene, Chamomile,Aloe vera, Green Tea and Coffee Properties.Biomolecules. 2019;9(3):106. Published 2019 Mar 17. doi:10.3390/biom9030106
American Cancer Society.American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity.
National Cancer Institutes.Mouth and Throat Problems: Cancer Treatment Side Effect.
Villa A, Connell CL, Abati S.Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and hyposalivation.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015;11:45-51. doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S76282
Lauritano D, Petruzzi M, Di Stasio D, Lucchese A.Clinical effectiveness of palifermin in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a case-control study.Int J Oral Sci.2014 Mar;6(1):27-30, doi:10.1038/ijos.2013.93
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