Dry mouth

• If your tongue is 'coated' it may make your food taste unpleasant and might put you off eating. You can clean your tongue with a bicarbonate of soda solution: use 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda (available from your chemist) dissolved in a pint (450mls) of warm water. Clean your tongue with cotton wool dipped in the solution or with a soft toothbrush.
• Frequent drinks, even taking just a few sips at a time, can help to keep your mouth moist. You may find fizzy drinks the most refreshing.
• Try sucking ice cubes or ice lollies. You can make lollies by freezing fresh juice in ice-cube trays or in special lolly containers with sticks. These can be bought from many kitchenware shops.
• Moisten your food with lots of gravy or sauce.
• Avoid chocolate and pastry; they stick to the roof of your mouth.
• Chewing gum can stimulate your saliva.
• Try drinking a glass of dry sherry before a meal.
• Salivix boiled sweets (available on prescription and from most chemists) stimulate saliva production.
• Tell your doctor about your dry mouth. They can prescribe artificial saliva sprays or gels, mouthwashes or lozenges to suck, if you think they will help.
• Use lip balm or Vaseline for dry lips.

You may find it helpful to read our sections on Mouth care during chemotherapy| and Dry mouth following radiotherapy|.