The mucosa, or mucous membranes lining your mouth and entire gastrointestinal tract, get inflamed when you have mucositis. It is a typical side effect of chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer. Although mucositis is temporary and self-healing, there are potential risks involved and it can be uncomfortable. To manage it, self-care and medical attention are needed.
In this article, we are going to discuss everything about oral mucositis. So without any further wait, let us start.
What Is Oral Mucositis?
The protective mucous membrane that lines the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from your mouth to your intestines, is called the mucosa. Mucositis is a painful inflammation of this membrane. Many of the cavities and canals in your body are lined by mucous membranes, but mucositis mostly affects the mucosa in your digestive system, particularly the oral mucosa. It is a common negative response to several cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation.
Symptoms of Oral Mucositis
Oral mucositis is a problem where the inside of your mouth gets sore and inflamed. It often happens when people are getting cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. Here are some things you might notice if you have oral mucositis:
1. Your mouth might feel very dry, making it hard to swallow.
2. Your saliva might become thick and sticky, making it tough to talk or eat.
3. Painful sores can develop in your mouth, sometimes with white patches that look like pus.
4. These sores can bleed, especially when you brush your teeth or eat certain foods.
5. You might also see a white coating on the inside of your mouth, which can indicate infection or other issues.
Dealing with oral mucositis involves trying to make these symptoms better. This might include using special mouth rinses, taking pain relievers, and being careful about what you eat. Keeping your mouth clean is really important to prevent infections and help the sores heal.
Even with treatment, oral mucositis can be uncomfortable and last for a while. It’s important for doctors and patients to work together to manage these symptoms and make things as comfortable as possible during cancer treatment.
Why does mucositis occur?
When healthcare professionals discuss mucositis as a disease, they usually refer to GI tract mucositis, which includes oral mucositis, as a side effect of cancer therapy. These therapies harm quickly-growing cells, particularly mucosal cells. Your oral or stomach organs may be affected by low-dose therapies locally or high-dose radiation or chemotherapy delivered to the entire body. Mucosal inflammation can sometimes happen in combination with other illnesses, including an infection.
How To Manage Oral Mucositis Symptoms?
Managing oral mucositis symptoms involves taking steps to make your mouth feel better and heal faster during cancer treatment. Here are some simple ways to do this:
1. Keep Your Mouth Clean: Use a soft toothbrush and rinse your mouth often with a saltwater solution or special mouthwash after recommendations from your doctor. This helps prevent infections and soothes your mouth.
2. Stay Hydrated: Drink a lot of water throughout the day, or chew on some ice chips. This helps swallowing and keeps your mouth wet.
3. Avoid Tough Foods: Stay away from spicy, acidic foods, and alcohol that can make your mouth more sore. Choose soft, easy-to-eat foods like mashed potatoes or yogurt instead.
4. Ease the Pain: Any soreness can be reduced with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. To ease your mouth pain, your doctor may also prescribe gels or rinses.
5. Protect Your Mouth: Use a bit of petroleum jelly or a gel recommended by your doctor to protect the inside of your mouth and lips from getting more irritated.
6. Follow Your Doctor’s Advice: Stick to the plan your doctor gives you and go to your check-up appointments. They may need to adjust your medicines or give you more help if your symptoms get worse.
7. Check for other symptoms: Be aware of any symptoms, such as increasing oral pain or swelling, which may indicate an infection. As soon as you see these, inform your doctor.
8. Get Enough Nutrition: Consult a dietician if eating is difficult for you. They can recommend drinks or meals that are high in nutrients that will help you recover.
By using these simple steps to manage oral mucositis, you can feel more comfortable and help your mouth heal while you go through cancer treatment. Tell your healthcare team about any problems you have so they can give you the best care possible.
How to treat mucositis
Your health care provider may recommend one of the following therapies if you have oral mucositis: pain killers, which might be in the form of pills, mouthwashes, gels, or sprays mouthwashes that protect, numb, and cleanse your mouth, sprays or gels that act as saliva substitutes to keep your mouth moist. The suggested method of treatment for gastrointestinal mucositis will vary depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Oraal Spray
Oraal Spray is an oral mucositis relief medicine in India that helps reduce and cure oral mucositis caused by radiation or chemotherapy. Oraal spray offers a three-pronged technique for optimal results, addressing pollutants, toxins, and pro-inflammatory proteins. A multi-layered strategy is used by ORAAL spray to treat oral mucositis. The Oraal spray has significantly shown reduce in mucositis and discomfort within two days of treatment. Along with its advantages for mucositis and discomfort, it also showed a decrease in burns and infections related to oral mucositis.
Conclusion
Taking care of oral mucositis during cancer treatment is really important for feeling better. By doing simple things like keeping your mouth clean, drinking lots of water, and avoiding foods that make your mouth hurt more, you can reduce discomfort and help your mouth heal faster. Pain relief medicines and special gels can also make a big difference in how you feel. It’s crucial to follow your doctor’s advice and let them know if you notice any problems like infections. They can adjust your treatment to help you feel more comfortable. By taking these steps and getting the right nutrition, you can manage oral mucositis well and focus on getting better during your cancer treatment.