Mucositis
Concurrent Problems

There are a number of other problems that are seen when mucositis is present:

Pain is the most common problem seen with mucositis. The mucosal tissue contains many nerve endings that are affected during mucositis. The pain can make it hard to talk or swallow.

Xerostomia decreased or lack of saliva may or may not be seen with mucositis. It is more likely to occur when radiation therapy includes the salivary glands responsible for making saliva. Not only does the dry mouth cause discomfort, it interferes with eating and speech. In addition, xerostomia alters the types and numbers of organisms normally in the mouth and affects overall dental health.

Oral bleeding or hemorrhage as the lesions or sores in the mouth occur and lead to breakdown of the mucous membranes and go on to affect blood vessels, bleeding can result. Due to the ability of the body to limit bleeding, usually the amount of blood that is lost is not large.

Infections use of medications such as antibiotics in people receiving cancer treatments changes the make-up of the normal flora present in the oral cavity. In addition, the presence of the oral lesions provides the organisms a way to get into the blood stream. Since you may already be at risk for infections because of your cancer and the effect of the treatment on your white blood cell count, oral infections may become a problem for you. Candida (known as thrush) is a type of infection that is commonly seen as white patches in the mouth.

Taste changes also know as dysgeusia, may occur with mucositis especially if the tongue is involved. Since the taste buds on the different areas of the tongue recognize sweet, sour, and bitter, these may also be heightened or distorted. Some people experience a metallic taste in their mouths when mucositis is present.

The combination of these problems can greatly affect your quality of life.

Since the mouth is not the only place in the body with mucous membranes, it is not the only place where problems can occur. In fact, if oral mucositis is severe, it can be thought of as an example of what may be happening to mucous membranes in other areas of the body. ⁴. Some women have reported changes in the mucous membranes of the vagina. Other areas of the body can also experience similar changes.