Bad breath is not always caused by anaerobic bacteria or improper oral hygiene. It can also be caused by a number of diseases such as oral and throat cancer. Unfortunately, one of the treatment solutions for these diseases often brings with it the nasty side effect of worsening their breath condition.
The treatment solution we are referring to is radiation therapy. Besides oral and throat cancer, there are also other conditions that are treated with radiation therapy and in these cases, bad breath is likely to be a side effect for the patients.
What is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy comes with the use of a Linear Accelerator. This machine creates high energy electrons or protons which are then concentrated on the areas of the body that has been affected by the disease. Patients often need many treatment sessions as they need a dose of around 50 Gray. This is around 500 times more than what we will get when undergoing normal X-Ray.
The high dosage is enough to kill any living tissue. In most cases, radiation therapy is utilized when dealing with these forms of cancers:
Nasal sarcoma Nasal lymphoma Nasal carcinoma Brain tumor Skull tumors Pituitary tumors Laryngeal lymphoma Non resectable plasma cell tumors
Radiation therapy is also often used when dealing with incompletely excised but not yet recurrent soft tissue sarcomas or mast cell tumors. When dealing with large tumors, doctors usually combine link radiation therapy sessions with chemotherapy. This happens when an operation to remove the tumor is not feasible.
Dry Mouth and Radiation Therapy
After undergoing the necessary radiation therapy, there is a high possibility that you will end up with a dry mouth. This is what causes bad breath. With the reduced production of saliva in your mouth, it provides a perfect living environment for anaerobic bacteria to multiply. These bacteria not produce foul smelling gases while they feed on the food remains in your mouth but also produce waste products that will make your breath smell bad.
It is unfortunate to know that something that is going to treat one condition is also causing another but we can not compare cancer with bad breath because there is a lot more we can do in order to deal with dry mouth when compared with the disease.
The important thing is to ensure that all go well with the radiation therapy and it is a good treatment option. To tackle the problem of dry mouth, you may just need to make some modifications to your lifestyle.
Tackling Dry Mouth
The first thing you need to do is take in more liquids in order to not let your mouth get dry. Also, your oral hygiene needs to be stricter and washing your teeth and tongue together with flossing three times per day is needed. Mouthwashes should also be utilized and modifications in your diet might be needed.
There are a lot of foods that will leave residue in your mouth after meals. Anaerobic bacteria will feed on them leading to bad breath. The easiest solution is to reduce such food intake or if possible remove them totally from your diet.
Other Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy does not only cause bad breath but also other side effects. These side effects will probably make bad breath seem trivial. For example, radiation therapy may cause severe damage to the epithelial surfaces. In most cases the skin will become pink and sore and this condition will last for several weeks after the therapy. Severe reactions after treatments can remain at the same level for up to one week after the therapy session. Sometimes, more severe reactions can lead to skin break down.
Different areas of the body react differently to the radiation and some areas which are known to be sensitive include the areas underneath the female breast, the groin and the ear, where there are natural folds in the skin.
Swelling can appear due to general inflammation. This happens usually in the treatment of brain tumors and brain metastases. Infertility is another possibility and hence it is important to talk to your doctor and fully understand all the possible side effects of radiation therapy.
Bad Breath after Radiation
Radiation therapy is something that in most cases cannot be avoided and is necessary when dealing with cancer. Needless to say, cancer is far more dangerous than bad breath and the good news is that there are different methods of eliminating the bad breath that appears after radiation therapy.
In most cases it will all be about keeping your mouth as moist as possible and ensuring that saliva production is going on as normal. This will aid in neutralizing the oxygen free environment that is perfect for anaerobic bacteria to multiply which will end up causing bad odors. Do remember that when in doubt, do always consult your doctor. He or she will be able to advise you accordingly.