Hi! You are only a month out from treatment - what you are going through is VERY normal. Your saliva/ mucous will be unfriendly for a while... Then like a really bad friend it will abandon you all together.

People are under the illusion that when treatment ends all things will stop being bad... Not so - you actually get worse for the first few weeks following treatment. Then slowly (I'm talking - like a geriatric snail - slow) things will begin to improve. The waterpik idea is very good - you can use pretty much anything except for strong alcohol based mouthwash... To clean and freshen - clean is important to healing. Plus it will get rid of the guck. Your mouth will continue to be sore for a bit - anything can cause pain - teeth rubbing, acidic drinks (just my own saliva used to feel like acid hitting the back of my throat - creamy and bland are the best (assuming you are taking things by mouth). Spit spit spit... I carried a washcloth and a cup, I would spit... Rinse and spit again. A few more weeks you'll notice some improvement. If you are taking something by mouth - fluids? Ensure? Then take a pain med, let it kick in (usually 15-30 minutes) swish or drink the mouthwash ( not all are made the same some are swallowable - some not) then chug your nutrition.

Hugs and you will get through it.