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Palliative cancer care - oral problems - Management
How should I manage someone with halitosis due to an oral problem?
- Encourage:
- Regular oral hygiene, including tongue cleaning.
- Good care of dentures.
- Fluid intake.
- Modification of diet (e.g. exclude garlic and onions).
- Smoking cessation.
- Regular use of a gargle or mouthwash containing an antimicrobial agent (e.g. chlorhexidine) may reduce breath odour.
- Consider artificial saliva if the mouth is very dry.
- Treat any underlying cause. See:
Clarification / Additional information
- Oral hygiene should include tooth brushing, tongue scraping, and dental flossing.
- The tongue is the main source of malodour and can be cleaned with an ordinary toothbrush, a paediatric toothbrush, a tongue brush or a 'tongue scraper' [Davies and Finlay, 2005].
- The aim of the cleaning is to remove the coating on the tongue without damaging the mucosa of the tongue.
- Clean as far back as possible as the putrefaction occurs mainly on the posterior part of the tongue.
- Discontinue cleaning once the coating has been removed or becomes difficult to remove.
- A gargle or mouthwash should be used daily on waking and after meals and at bedtime.
- Using cider and soda water in equal parts has also been suggested as a gargle/mouthwash [Regnard et al, 1997].
Basis for recommendation
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