How can I prevent mouth sores? I am one month (to the day) done with treatment. Are the sores a response to all the radiation? Or am I doing something wrong? What can be done to prevent them? I clean my mouth often during the day, use salt/baking soda and Biotene toothpaste, rinse, and gel. Anyone have any other tricks? -Michelle

You are doing everything right! From everything you have written, you did great!!! Unfortunately mouth sores come with the territory. I know how rotten they are and how painful it can be. Ask your doc for magic mouthwash to swish around in your mouth and spit out before you try to eat. It will numb your mouth long enough to enable you to eat. It will also make the mouth sores less painful.

Are you swallowing your saliva or is that too difficult right now?

I swallow when the secretions are not too thick. When the secretions subsided for about a week I was really good about swallowing. I started working with a PT and she said I need to start drinking water. I have a little, about a cup a day. It hurts only a little. Mostly I am grossed out by the secretions and sores in my mouth. I am trying so hard to maintain good oral care. I wonder if the secretions are causing sores. -Michelle

Oh yes, I have magic mouthwash, too. And it does help with pain. I guess I have to accept that the sores come with the territory, as you say. I am the kind of person who likes to think I can manage everything if I just do the right thing, but the reality is that some things just can't be controlled even with the best care. That is tough to accept. It's like that saying "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." -Michelle

Hey Michelle - I can say with confidence that your secretions are not causing the sores - saliva is nature's best method for cleaning our mouths! You mentioned that you're working with PT on your swallow - if you've been cleared of aspiration risk then you should swallow, swallow, swallow!!!
Water - all - day- long!
Swallowing your own saliva and drinking a cup of water a day is not enough action to keep those swallowing muscles moving as they should. Make drinking water throughout the day part of your home exercise program- the longer you go without eating and drinking throughout the day the longer it will take to get back to eating once your sores clear- talk to your PT if he/she is the professional helping you progress with your swallow - you need step by step treatment to move forward - your instincts are right - you do need to be doing something - right now it's drinking water, soon it will be much more - just take one step at a time!
One more thing - we all swallow our own saliva as a reflex without thinking about it - several times a minute - we oral cancer kids get that reflex all out of sync - we swallow less often which can create an odd environment in our mouths which can lead to mucous, excess saliva, thrush, etc. Swallowing cleans the mouth - the more you do it the better - mucous, saliva, water- swallow it! You may find that the mucous diminishes a bit once you start swallowing more routinely.

Jennifer: This was extremely helpful. I met with the PT once. Next week I have the barium test that checks my swallowing and that might address aspiration, which you mention. My gut was telling me what you are saying, but I needed to hear it from someone who has been there. I shall really make drinking the priority. It will probably also help this dry cough I have. Thank you again. I feel like I get so much from this site and give so little. But I have promised myself that when I am better and more confident about my knowledge and experience I will be more on the giving end. -Michelle