Oral care

Oral care after radiotherapy or surgery for mouth cancers is important to prevent injury to fragile tissue and delay healing. For at least 3 weeks after major surgery of the mouth, do not use brush your teeth; you should only rinse your mouth to keep in clean. After this, you can use a baby toothbrush to gently brush your teeth, careful to avoid brushing near the operated area, which can lead to bleeding and injury.

Some recommendations for those on radiotherapy or chemotherapy are:

• Use a pea-sized amount of mild non-abrasive toothpaste (like Sensodyne) on a soft or medium-soft toothpaste

• Brush for about 2 minutes with a gentle rotational or circular motion at a 45 degree angle

• Flossing with waxed floss can help remove debris trapped in between teeth that cause decay and caries

• Rinse your mouth every 4-6 hours with either a mixture of 4 cups of water with a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking soda OR mouthwash with no alcohol or sugar. Rinsing should be for around 30 seconds then spit out

• Keep your mouth hydrated with continuous sips of water throughout the day. If your mouth is very dry, saliva substitutes can be prescribed by your doctor

• Lanolin-based lip balm can prevent your lips from getting dry, cracked or chapped