Mouth sores (clinically known as oral mucositis or stomatitis) are a common side effect of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. They can make it difficult to eat, speak, and even smile. Fortunately, many products are available to help you relieve the pain and discomfort caused by mouth sores.
In this blog, we will discuss three of the best products for chemotherapy mouth sores and radiation mouth sores, what each product does, and how they can help you find relief.
Best Products for Mouth Sores
Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse
Biotene can be one of the best mouth sore mouthwash options if you are looking for variety and portability. You can get it as a standard mouthwash or as a moisturizing spray bottle that you can take with you on the go. This mouthwash helps to relieve dryness and encourages saliva flow to help moisten and lubricate the mouth – it's also alcohol-free, so it won't further irritate your mouth. While this product is not specifically made for people with radiation mouth sores or chemo mouth sores, it's still recommended because mouth dryness can aggravate the ulcers that develop from these treatments. When using this product, you should keep in mind that this lubricant will help you relieve some of your symptoms, but it won't help treat your mouth sores directly. Moreover, if you are someone going through chemotherapy and you are experiencing changes in your sense of taste (dysgeusia), you might want to consider using the Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Gel instead of the other Biotene products, which are mint flavored. The gel is portable, alcohol-free, flavor-free, and lasts up to four hours.
Healios
Healios is a soothing mouthwash made for cancer patients with chemotherapy mouth sores and/or radiation mouth sores. The product comes as a powder that you can mix with water or with any water-like liquid that’s easy to swish around the mouth. Healios is one of the best products for chemotherapy mouth sores as well as radiation mouth sores because it was specially formulated by a board-certified oncologist. Healios was created to help with healing,not just to manage the mouth ulcer symptoms. The formulation of Healios includes glutamine to help support the regeneration of the epithelial cells and tissues in your mouth, throat, and esophagus. This product is available in three different flavors: grape, orange, and unflavored. When used as directed, it can help reduce the severity and duration of mouth sores.
Gelclair
Gelclair is a topical oral gel designed to help treat mouth sores of different kinds, including those caused by chemotherapy and radiation. It comes in the form of convenient single-use packets that you can squeeze and apply directly to the sore areas in your mouth. Alternatively, you can dilute this product with water to use it as a mouth sore mouthwash instead of as a gel. Gelclair is considered a mucoadhesive, meaning it acts like a bandaid adhering to the mucosal tissues in your mouth where the ulcers develop. The protective coating created by this product helps prevent additional discomfort or irritation from foods and liquids. Gelclair also contains soothing agents that can help offer pain relief for several hours. It’s important to note that if you are using other products in addition to Gelclair, then this product should come last in your routine. Because Gelclair acts like a protective barrier, it prevents other treatments from being absorbed by the cells in your mouth, reducing their effectiveness.
Choosing the Best Mouth Sore Remedy for You
The three products discussed here can be used together or separately as treatment regimen to help address all aspects of your mouth sores. Of course, you should always consult with your doctor or healthcare team. They can help you find the best mouthwash for a sore mouth and provide specific recommendations on what products are right for you and how often you should use them. There are other products available that can help you manage mouth ulcers, and we encourage you to try out one or more of these products to find the best fit for your symptoms. Visit our patient learning center to learn about mouth sores and additional products and treatment options.