Helpful Hints Regarding – Thick Saliva

Maintaining adequate nutrition is a crucial part of your cancer treatment. Eating a variety of foods daily from all the foods groups will help you obtain the nutrients you need to maintain your strength, feel better during your treatment, and/or heal any post-operative wounds. However, you may have difficulty consuming some foods either due to the cancer itself or to the side effects of treatment. Therefore, you may need to make some changes to improve your food intake based on your symptoms, as described below. To assure nutrient adequacy, you may be requested to keep a food intake log for a Registered and/or Licensed Dietitian to assess.

• Try rinsing your mouth with baking soda and salt water (1 quart water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1 teaspoon of salt) or try a mixture of club soda with lemon juice.
• Drink plenty of fluids to loosen mucous. Drink fluids along with meals and between meals. Drink at least 8-12 cups of liquid each day.
• Try gargling with ginger ale if mucous sticks in your throat.
• To thin thick saliva secretions, try very sour (lemon) or very sweet foods to help stimulate saliva flow.
• Use medications as recommended by your physician.