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Living with breast cancer and undergoing treatment can cause uncomfortable and sometimes painful symptoms across your whole body, including in your mouth. From your teeth to your tongue, you may notice new, strange symptoms during different stages of your cancer journey. If you’re going through this, you’re not alone — many members of MyBCTeam have experienced this, too.
Read on for five common mouth symptoms you may have after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition that happens when your mouth doesn’t make enough saliva. This dryness can lead to a variety of effects, including thirst, discomfort, and difficulty swallowing. Over time, dry mouth can lead to bad breath and even tooth decay.
Why does this happen for people with breast cancer? Dry mouth can be caused by certain breast cancer drugs that affect salivary glands as an unwanted side effect. One MyBCTeam member shared, “I am currently on weekly Taxol suffering from extremely dry mouth. Any suggestions?” (The drug paclitaxel, now sold under the brand name Abraxane, was previously sold in the U.S. as Taxol.)
To help relieve a dry mouth, make sure you’re staying extra hydrated with water and avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can dehydrate you. One MyBCTeam member suggested, “Drink way more water than you are thirsty for. I also like to have some electrolyte drinks like Gatorade or Body Armor.” Also make sure to avoid smoking, as it can make dry mouth worse.
Members also suggested products that you can purchase to target dry mouth. “Biotene, suckers, hard candy (peppermint and lemon flavors help with nausea too),” one advised. Another shared, “Fortunately, the Act lozenge is helpful, and this clears up pretty quickly once the chemo is done.” These products can stimulate saliva production, directly fighting dry mouth.
Mouth sores, also called oral mucositis, are painful ulcers that form inside the mouth. Sores are a common side effect of cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy not only kills cancer cells, it kills all quickly dividing cells in the body — including mucosa on the inside of the mouth. These sores can be extremely painful and make eating and talking painful and challenging, which has a severe impact on quality of life.
Some people experience mouth sores from medications that aren’t chemotherapy. “Is anyone suffering from mouth sores?” one member asked. “I’m not receiving chemo, so it might be from dryness caused by medication.”
Mouth sores can also be caused by infection, vitamin or protein deficiency, dehydration, poor oral or dental health, and alcohol or tobacco use.
To avoid triggering or worsening mouth sores, here are some helpful tips:
Speak to your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription remedies, such as gels or medicated mouth rinses, if you’re experiencing prolonged or painful mouth sores.
Mouth sores may also affect the gums, causing redness, inflammation, swelling, and bleeding.
To reduce the impacts of gum inflammation, try the following:
Check with a dentist or healthcare provider to see if it’s safe for you to floss. Some breast cancer treatments may increase your risk of bleeding, which can happen while flossing.
Breast cancer treatment, especially certain chemotherapy drugs, can change your perception of taste. People with breast cancer may experience a constant unpleasant taste in the mouth or find that foods taste different than before treatment. This strange taste can affect your appetite and enjoyment of food, which could lead to malnutrition and diminished quality of life.
The changing taste you experience depends on the medications you’re taking. Members of MyBCTeam reported tastes varying from metallic to soapy, and some lost their sense of taste altogether.
One member said, “I have a dreadful soapy taste in my mouth on tamoxifen, and it’s ruining all food for me! When will it end?” Another member said, “I finished chemo and radiation three months ago, and I still have a bitter taste in my mouth that gets worse with lymphatic drainage massage.” Unfortunately, these side effects don’t disappear immediately after you’re done with treatment.
In a study about taste and smell during and after breast cancer treatment, most people regained these senses six months after chemotherapy. However, those still taking trastuzumab had a lower sense of taste and smell compared to those who were not.
If you experience an odd taste in your mouth, try brushing your teeth frequently, using mouthwash throughout the day, and carrying around mints or sugar-free gum. Find foods that still taste good to you and stick to them. Another member shared, “I had the soapy taste the whole time. I lived on chicken noodle soup, almond milk, and peanut butter on bread.”
Some people undergoing breast cancer treatment may experience dental issues, such as tooth decay, pain, or tooth loss. These problems can be caused by dry mouth and gum infections that go untreated.
“Just wondering if anyone else has experienced dental issues after a full breast radiation,” one member posted. Another replied, “I had at least two teeth crumble. As a result, I had to have six teeth pulled, from radiation therapy.” However, others who experienced multiple radiation sessions haven’t reported any dental symptoms.
If you’re concerned about dental problems, bring it up with your doctor so they can take proper precautions. Make sure to practice good oral hygiene and see a dentist regularly.
Chemotherapy and other immunosuppressant drugs weaken your immune system to fight cancer. This leads to an increased risk of infections all over your body, including infections in the mouth like bacterial and yeast infections.
One common mouth infection is oral thrush (candidiasis), a type of fungal yeast infection that causes white patches to build up on your palette. “I get an oral yeast infection every time I get chemotherapy,” one MyBCTeam member shared.
If you notice symptoms of thrush, like red or white patches in your mouth and changes in how food and drinks taste, talk to your doctor right away to get treatment.
When undergoing breast cancer treatment, it’s important to communicate all symptoms and side effects, including those affecting your oral health, to your cancer care team promptly. Having painful mouth symptoms can affect how much you can eat and drink, potentially threatening your overall health and quality of life.
Getting prompt care can help you manage these symptoms effectively and improve your quality of life during treatment. Taking good care of your mouth, even though it can be tough during breast cancer treatment, will have long-lasting benefits.
Make sure to check in with a dentist regularly as part of your holistic (overall well-being) healthcare team. You may even want to see a dentist before starting treatment. They can give you personalized advice on managing mouth symptoms and suggest ways to keep your mouth healthy during your breast cancer treatment.
On MyBCTeam, people share their experiences with breast cancer, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
Have you noticed any oral side effects while living with breast cancer? How have you managed these symptoms? Let others know in the comments below.
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I had dry mouth and mouth sores with chemotherapy. I used a rinse of warm water and peroxide when a mouth sore started, and it really helped.
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