Hi

My brother has had surgery for oral cancer and following radiation treatment is having difficulty eating, as he now has a 'dry mouth'. Has anyone experienced this, and if so will he ever be able to eat properly again?

Trudy

Xerostomia, or chronic dry mouth is very common after radiation treatments. In all probability, this is a permanent condition. I too have had my salivary glands destroyed by radiation treatments. The good news is that he will get used to some of the habits that will make eating easier as time goes by. Food selection is a big deal. Obviously wet foods are the easiest to eat. This means lots of fruits and vegitables, salads and pastas with extra sauce. The days of eating sandwiches are over. But 3 years out from my treatments, I am content with my new diet, and consider it a small price to pay for being on this side of the grass. The first six months were the worst, when my mouth was getting used to food again after being on a bag and tube for the better part of a year. He will learn to drink alot while eating, and come round to finding a selection of things that go down OK. If he would like to email me about things that have worked for me, please give him my address. Brian Hill, hilllaguna@aol.com