I have been having terrible problems with mucositis especially at night because it stops me sleeping properly.
What I was doing:
Coughing and spluttering, getting up to spit; suffering from a dry mouth and using Oral 7 mouth spray; using Oral 7 mouthwash; back to bed. The remainder of the mouthwash and spray would trickle down the back of my throat and make me cough. Up again......bed again ..... try to sleep...... wake up shortly afterwards.... repeat...... Not a good nights sleep.
What I am testing:
Equipment: mug of water, something to spit rinse into, flannel, hankie.
Method: Brush teeth then use Biotene gel with a tiny bit of water to sluice it around all areas of my mouth. Spit out everything. When I next wake with mucus I spit it into the container then rinse with clean water and spit out. When I next wake with a dry mouth I avoid using the spray and rinse only with fresh water. Spit the remainder into the container.
Does not sound much different I know and in the end I still wake up with 'glue mouth' (my mouth glued together with mucus) but not using the spray and mouthwash at night seems to reduce coughing and repeatedly having to get up. The fresh water works just as well. I seem to be sleeping a bit longer and have to get up a lot less.
Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with the mouth sprays etc. and there is a place for them I know. But at night.... water seems to be working too.
I never got on with mouth sprays either.
Brush teeth an hour before bed. Just before retiring I slooshed with Chlorhexedine mouthwash, effectively killing any lurking yeasts and bacteria.
Through the night; sip of water and spit into kitchen roll which was then dropped on the floor. I could do it in my sleep. The crumpled up bits were picked up in the morning, popped into a paper bag and tossed into the Rayburn.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
