Hello all. My father is in his 70s has been diagnosed with oral cancer and will be starting a chemo/radiation protocol soon. I am looking to put together some items which will make things a bit easier and maybe a tiny more comfortable for him.

So far, I have on my list:
Brilliant Special Soft Toothbrush - For Cancer and Chemo Patients with Compromised Oral Health
Mouth Kote Dry Mouth Spray
OraCoat XyliMelts Dry Mouth Relief Oral Adhering Discs Slightly Sweet with Xylitol

Also I am looking for some sort of alcohol free mouth wash, and some lotion for the skin on his face. Is it worth contacting his dentist to see about a prevident 5000 toothpaste prescription?

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated as we are in the dark on this.

You didn’t say where your Dad’s cancer is, so I am making the assumption that his mouth will be radiated. In this case, it would be a good idea to get him a Waterpik which will help get rid of the stringy saliva during radiation. He will get a fluoride tray from his dentist and will have to use it all through radiation to minimize damage to the enamel. So, it is a very good idea to get him the prescription for Prevident 5000. In fact, it would be good for him to continue to use it even after radiation. It will help preserve his teeth. A lot of patients get tooth decay and need fillings or root canals after radiation. The toothpaste should help. He will also need some moisturizer like Lubriderm for his skin (to be applied after radiation, and NEVER before radiation). There will be other things he might need, depending on what happens. That can wait a bit. These, from right off the top of my head, are things he should have ready.

Sorry, yes it is at the base of his tongue. I will make sure we get in touch with the dentist and the waterpik is a great idea. Thank you!

I assume base of tongue is the oropharynx (in the throat) and not the oral tongue? If so, remind him to do his swallowing exercises religiously. There may come a time when he may not be able to swallow and he doesn’t want the muscles to atrophy.

If he is getting a waterpik, please tell him to use some warm water and a capful of magic mouthwash that the doctors give him and use the tongue scraper attachment on the lowest setting. That should work well. My husband used to say that was the best purchase we ever made.

Yes if I understand correctly, it is in the throat. We are meeting with the radiation oncologist soon. I will remind him about the exercises. I am hoping that they will set him up with a speech pathologist if he will need one.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this forum and everyone's advice!

Apple flavour fluoride toothpaste.

A vitamix or similar is very helpful. It gets hard to eat and flavors are all jacked up. By making them into a smoothie, it's much easier. The list of food that tasted good by the end of my radiation treatment was pretty short. But, almost anything can be mixed with ice cream or chocolate sauce and taste good. My doctor advised minimum 2000 calories a day. It was a lot harder than you think until you cant eat most things.

A couple journals helped. One of the most therapeutic things for me was writing my thoughts and emotions in one and medical notes/questions in another. I would track everything - food, exercise, sleep, weight, meds, etc.

One of the better cancer books i read was "Anticancer." Packed full of good data and research.

Good luck and best wishes. Keep us up to date.

Nels