Mouth problems

What can I do?

Rinse your mouth regularly

Rinsing your mouth with saline can help.

You can make the saline yourself by adding 2 teaspoons of table salt to 1 litre of lukewarm water. Prepare a new solution every day. At the pharmacy, you can buy empty bottles to fill with the saline solution for use at home and on the go.

There are also different types of artificial saliva and dry mouth products. Talk to your nurse or dental hygienist to find out if this would be useful for you. You can get artificial saliva without a prescription at the pharmacy.

Always have something to drink on hand

Take small sips of water during the day.

If your intake of fluids is limited or weight loss is a concern, you can increase your intake of protein and energy-rich fluids, such as fortified milk and milkshakes. A dietitian will be able to advise you on the best sources for you.

Avoid acidic drinks such as fizzy drinks and alcohol and try drinking through a straw. Because you have less saliva, your teeth are not protected as much against acid, and you are more likely to get dental erosion. Avoiding these can also help make your mouth feel less sore.

Keep your mouth clean

With a dry mouth you have a higher chance of inflammation and tooth decay. Therefore, brush your teeth after every meal, but don’t brush your teeth more than four times a day.

Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste containing fluoride. To clean the space between the teeth, use floss thread, soft picks, or brushes once a day. If necessary, clean the tongue with a toothbrush or a special tongue cleaner.

Rinse your mouth well after every meal and after having milk or sugary or acidic food or drinks. You can use a fluoride-containing mouthwash to help protect against dental decay.

If you have dentures, leave them out overnight and store them dry in a container; clean them beforehand. Clean dentures once a week in one part vinegar and one part water. Clean your gums with a gauze swab soaked in saline solution.

Also, take good care of your lips by regularly using lip balm.

Eat sour foods

Eating sour foods can help thin your saliva. This includes foods such as pineapple, pickles, cucumber, apple, kiwi, tomatoes, seedless grapes, tangerines, and oranges.

Sauces such as piccalilli, tomato ketchup, and vinegar-based dressings can also help create watery saliva.

However, it is best to avoid sour foods when your mouth is sore as eating acidic foods may cause some discomfort.

Chew your food well

Chewing creates more saliva. Chewing sugar-free chewing gum, cucumber, or pieces of carrot can increase saliva. Sucking on sugar-free may also help produce more saliva.

Drink while eating

Take a sip of fluid with each bite of food. This ensures that moisture is mixed with the food.

Use drinks to soften hard foods. Think of dipping a biscuit in tea or milk and bread in soup or broth.

Be generous with gravy and sauces

Add extra gravy, sauce, cream, crème fraîche, mayonnaise, or butter to your meal. This helps to make the meal softer and easier to eat.

Extra sauce can help make pasta dishes more pleasant with a dry mouth.

Choose soft, creamy food

You can replace bread with different types of porridge, custard, yoghurt, cottage cheese or a liquid breakfast. You can also opt for breakfast items such as cornflakes with yoghurt or milk.

Sour milk products such as buttermilk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks and cottage cheese might be painful. Try tasteless or sweet milk products such as whole milk, chocolate milk, vanilla custard, chocolate custard, whipped cream and coffee or tea with a lot of milk.

Eat bread without the crust or without toasting it. Opt for creamy spreads such as cheese spread, pate or cream cheese.

When you eat soup, make sure it is packed with a variety of food groups, in particular proteins (i.e., fish, meat, chicken, or pulses), so that you get enough nutrients. Clear broth can add moisture, but it does not contain enough nutrients for a full meal.

Mashing, blending or liquidising your food can make it easier to eat – for example, blending casseroles or curries to make thick soups, pureeing vegetables and fruit, and mashing potatoes.

Try different things to make your mouth feel less sore

Spicy and salty foods can be painful to eat. Try using herbs to flavour your food instead of spices and salt.

Very hot or cold foods can make the pain worse. Try serving foods at room temperature.

Sucking ice chips can temporarily numb the pain, especially during chemotherapy.

Smoking can make soreness and irritation worse and can also delay wound healing. Try to stop smoking if possible. Ask your doctor for details of local stop smoking services. Or visit the NHS website for further information.

Speak to your doctor

Tell your doctor if you’re experiencing any mouth problems. They may be able to prescribe pain medication, special mouthwashes or gels.

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