Saliva

Hi Steve 

4 months after RT is still early days. 
What helped me was to try to stimulate all the tiny salivary glands in my mouth plus what was left of the major ones. The best way is xylitol chewing gum which does keep the saliva flowing. 
I also got masses of help with acupuncture 

Have a look here 

https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com/2019/12/21/acupuncture-the-experiment-has-started/

and here 

https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com/2020/02/13/acupuncture/

Food for thought anyway 

PS expect improvements for a long time. I’m 2 plus years clear and still improving with fairly good salivary function 

Hi Steve and welcome to the forum.

I had quite extensive surgeries  to remove my tumour followed by radiotherapy and suffered with severe trismus. I could only get 2 tongue depressors  between my side teeth when I finished radiotherapy. Glad to say I can now open my jaw wide. Yes I do believe your trismus will improve as you can now open just over 2cm. Some people suffer with trismus cannot even use a therabite and need to start with tongue depressors and it can take so long for them to see progress. I encourage you to keep going, and always do your therapy gently. I am so pleased you can clean your teeth and can eat and talk.  One bit of advice when you reach your desired opening continue to do some therapy  and make a note of your mouth opening measurement so you attain this. I started a thread talking trismus and hope people will add and share.  I think it is so important we act on trismus when it starts developing so we can start to do something about it.  This will be under the guidance of the head and neck team. Sorry I do not suffer with dry mouth but the others who have this will help you with this.

Best wishes 

Nicky

Hello Steve, your dry mouth will improve in time a lot depends if or how many saliva glands were removed during your operation, my mouth has recovered quite well considering that i had one of the large saliva glands removed. I can assure you that life does get better in time its still early days for you as you are still recovering from the radiotherapy and your operation. Just let your body take its time to recover taking the good with the bad. Stay strong .

                                                                   Chris  

HibSteve definitely early days. I am almost 3 years post treatment snd still getting improvements on saliva. It’s one of the things we tsje for granted until it’s gone you can’t explain to others what it means. At nighttime I still use 1/2 s xyimelt have you tried them ? You have to buy them either dental direct or Amazon .plus sugar free  xylitol

gum I use in the daytime  

if it helps I’m sat typing this and  I have a full mouth  saliva , words I never thought at 4 month  post radiotherapy I woujd say. 
I too had acupuncture which helped immensely.
Hazel x