Efficacy of oral cryotherapy versus chewing gum on mucositis in children receiving chemotherapy

Abstract

Background Oral mucositis is considered one of the most common debilitating and serious complications of cancer treatment. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral cryotherapy versus chewing gum on mucositis in children receiving chemotherapy. Patients and method A quasi-experimental design was conducted on a convenient sample of 90 children from both sex with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, who attended the pediatric outpatient clinics and in-patient pediatric oncology department in Cancer Institute of South Egypt. The children were in the age range from 6 to 18 years, newly diagnosed with cancer and in the induction stage of chemotherapeutic protocol and had a healthy oral mucosa. Tools A structural interview questionnaire dealt with characteristics, clinical data of children, and oral assessment guide. Results More than half of children in the cryotherapy group and one-third of children in the chewing gum group had moderate mucositis compared with 83.3% of children in the control group who had severe mucositis during day 21. Conclusion Using oral cryotherapy with honey flavor and sugar-free gum lead to healthier oral mucosa and lower mucositis score compared with children using only the routine mouth care. Recommendations Provide in-services, up-to-date, regular training programs to improve nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding the use of flavored cryotherapy and chewing gum technique as routine care for children treated with chemotherapy.