Chemo Mouth Sores and How To Prevent Them

Chemotherapy comes with many side effects, but one of the toughest is chemo mouth sores. I have an all-natural remedy that will keep them away for good!

Check out What Is The First Thing To Do After A Cancer Diagnosis? article next!

Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional; I am literally just a normal person, actually a cancer warrior who beat the nasty disease, and who has done my research. Talk to your doctor about this, like I did, and get approval. My doctor was thrilled with my results and said they would be sharing this with their other patients.

Cancer creeps in when you least expect it

It took 5 months of being misdiagnosed and seeing the right doctor to be diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Once I was diagnosed, everything happened so fast. Within a week, I had a treatment plan, my port placement procedure was scheduled, and I had my first chemo 5 days after that.

After my first chemo, my taste buds changed. Foods that weren’t spicy normally were terribly spicy. Tomatoes didn’t taste like tomatoes. I didn’t tolerate citrus at all, and my first mouth sores from chemo raged in the back of my mouth and on my tongue. Chemo mouth sores are like nothing I’d ever experienced. Shortly after my first chemo, we went to Disneyland.

My oncologist said it would be better to go at the beginning of chemo, instead of waiting until the end, because chemo build-up is a real thing. I ordered a bland dish for dinner, and I couldn’t even eat it because the tomato sauce, though very mild in flavor, was extremely spicy to me, like Tabasco sauce. Thankfully, they were so sweet and understanding, and made the same dish for me again without the tomato sauce; and no, I didn’t eat the fresh tomatoes either.

Oral side effects of chemotherapy:

• painful mouth sores
• dry mouth
• changes in taste
• sensitive to various foods like: citrus and tomatoes
• tooth decay

What helps mouth sores from chemo naturally?

I searched and finally found an online forum discussing the benefits of coconut oil for mouth sores, known as oil pulling. This, mixed with 1 drop of clove oil, was said to relieve chemo mouth sores. I wish I could find the original inventor of this method, but I have been unable to do so. However, I found that this method CURED my problem!

Instantly after the first “dose” of trying this concoction, I could tell something was different. My mouth didn’t feel “off” anymore. I felt like I could eat without sensitivities, and truth be told, I was able to. I could even enjoy small amounts of citrus and fresh tomatoes with zero problems.

Oil-pulling was a miracle in my life, because it meant I could sail through chemo without mouth sores! That’s 6 months of eating whatever I wanted to without a care in the world, and chemo wasn’t going to bring me down! I NEVER got another mouth sore again after that first experience, thanks to oil pulling.

Mouth Sores Cure!

The first step is purchasing your ingredients, then setting them up next to your bed. On your nightstand, place your jar of coconut oil, clove oil, and a spoon. In your bathroom or kitchen, set out a glass cup with your Real Salt.

The education behind oil pulling and chemo

My research shows that fat-soluble toxins build up in the mouth, especially during chemotherapy, and your body releases them only when fat is present. I use coconut oil for this, but olive oil and other healthy oils might work too. By swishing the oil in my mouth for 20 minutes, I am helping release those toxins out of my mouth into the oil. This is what keeps us from getting mouth sores during chemotherapy.

My Chemo Essentials Amazon List

The Fastest Way To Heal and Prevent Chemo Mouth Sores:

• Step 1: Put 1/2 Tablespoon of coconut oil on a spoon; you can eyeball it.
• Step 2: Add 1 drop of clove oil on top of the coconut oil.
• Step 3: Take a deep breath, then place the coconut oil in your mouth. (DO NOT SWALLOW)
• Step 4: Swish the oil in your mouth for 20 minutes, and no more. There is magic in that 20-minute number. I’m warning you, this is SO HARD AT FIRST! If you feel nauseous, try to at least swish it around for 5 minutes. I found playing a game on my phone or watching reels helped the time pass quickly.
• Step 5: Spit the oil into a trash can, NOT THE SINK.
• Step 6: Fill a cup with warm water, or microwave a little water for 10-15 seconds.
• Step 7: Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the warm water and stir until dissolved.
• Step 8: Swish salt water in your mouth and gargle for 10-15 seconds, and spit it out.
• Step 9: Go brush your teeth as normal, then enjoy something to drink like water or warmed tea.

Only oil pull upon waking up in the morning, that is when it’s best to do this chemo mouth sore trick. Any other part of the day is not as effective. I was faithful during my whole treatment plan to oil pulling daily, and I never missed a day. If I were running late, I would oil pull while showering or even making breakfast for my kids. I fit it into my schedule and was religious about it.

Once treatment is over, you will be tempted to stop, but don’t! Keep oil pulling for 3-6 months every day after chemo. This is because the effects of chemo are still in your system, and it takes a while for your body to fully process all that it’s been through. The only change I made was 2 weeks after chemo, I stopped using clove oil. I only used coconut oil, and it kept my mouth so much healthier.

As of 2025, it has been 18 months since my last chemo, and my mouth is completely back to normal. I no longer suffer from teeth sensitivities, and I am so grateful for oil pulling. Chemo mouth sores are truly the worst, but you can easily do something about it! Get these ingredients are start enjoying the benefits immediately.

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