When David was told to use Peridex^®, I asked the doctor if we could substitute 0.63% stannous fluoride rinse. He said yes. As a dentist, I knew Peridex^® kills bacteria and lasts up to 8 hours, but it tastes terrible and stains teeth. Children do not like using it. The 0.63% stannous fluoride has the same bacteria-killing properties and also lasts up to 8 hours, but has a better taste and does not stain as badly. The fluoride also helps prevent cavities and makes the teeth less sensitive. It comes in a variety of flavors like mint, tropical, and cinnamon. It is a prescription drug that a lot of dentists dispense.

Mix 1/8 ounce of concentrate with warm water, making 1 ounce. A measuring cup comes with the bottle. I have David swish with half the mixture for 1 minute. (Time it, because it’s longer than you think!) This rinse can only be used by kids who are old enough not to accidentally swallow it. Six-year-old David has no problem taking this once a day before he goes to bed. If and when he starts developing mouth sores, he will take it morning and evening. It’s important not to eat or drink for 30 minutes after rinsing. That is why David rinses before bedtime, after he has taken his meds and brushed his teeth.

My son got bad mouth sores every time he was on methotrexate. He could not swallow, but we were supposed to be forcing fluids to flush the drugs out. The only thing that felt good on his throat was guava nectar. It was very expensive and hard to find, and he would drink several quarts a day through a straw. Unfortunately, my daughter and husband both developed a liking for it, too. At one point, we cornered the market on guava nectar at three grocery stores in our neighborhood.

Roger just began his second round of chemo. He is on lomustine, procarbazine, and some intravenous chemo. He seemed to be tolerating it fairly well until he started breaking out in terrible sores all through his mouth and under his tongue. They were very painful for him. He couldn’t even eat. I decided to get him to gargle and swish 100% pure aloe vera juice all through his mouth. He held the aloe vera in his mouth for 5 minutes before swallowing it that night before he went to bed and then 3 or 4 times a day for the next few days until he felt better. Strangely enough, the sores were almost all gone by morning. Roger woke up the next morning and said, “Wow that stuff works fast!”