Some people get a dry mouth from chemotherapy but a dry mouth is more likely to happen if you are having radiotherapy. The glands that produce saliva may be affected by radiotherapy, making you produce less or no saliva. This can make it uncomfortable to chew or swallow. The dryness in your mouth might last for a few months after your treatment and for some people it may be permanent.
These side effects can be really tough to cope with at first, but there are ways to help. Your doctor can prescribe an artificial saliva spray to help keep your mouth moist. You can talk to a hospital dietitian for advice on making changes to your diet to help you cope with the dryness.
Thick saliva can make you feel a bit sick. You can spit it out onto tissue if you want to. Try to keep drinking as much as you can to keep your mouth moist and to make the saliva less sticky. If you can't face drinking much, then try to rinse your mouth out regularly.
