Randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of 3 commonly used mouthwashes to treat chemotherapy-induced mucositis.
OBJECTIVE
To test the effectiveness of 3 mouthwashes used to treat chemotherapy-induced mucositis. The mouthwashes were as follows: salt and soda, chlorhexidine, and "magic" mouthwash (lidocaine, Benadryl, and Maalox).


METHODS
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was implemented in 23 outpatient and office settings. Participants were monitored from the time they developed mucositis until cessation of the signs and symptoms of mucositis, or until they finished their 12-day supply of mouthwash. All participants followed a prescribed oral hygiene program and were randomly assigned a mouthwash. Nurses used the Oral Assessment Guide for initial assessment and taught patients how to assess their own mouths, then phoned the patients every other day to gather status reports.


RESULTS
In 142 of 200 patients, there was a cessation of the signs and symptoms of mucositis within 12 days. No significant differences in time for the cessation of the signs and symptoms were observed among the 3 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Given the comparable effectiveness of the mouthwashes, the least costly was salt and soda mouthwash.
Dodd
M J
MJ
Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, UCSF, USA.
Dibble
S L
SL
Miaskowski
C
C
MacPhail
L
L
Greenspan
D
D
Paul
S M
SM
Shiba
G
G
Larson
P
P
D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000863:Antacids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000863:Antacids; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009067:Mouthwashes; C013591:aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, drug combination; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; D004155:Diphenhydramine; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate; D008012:Lidocaine; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide; D002710:Chlorhexidine