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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Much Time It Will Take For Taste Buds To Come Back After Tongue Cancer Treatment?

My mother has tongue cancer and gone for operation in Rajiv Gandhi in the month of Sept, 2013 and after the operation biospy report said that 0.1 mm is left. She went for radition for 6 week till December 16, 2013 and she is on the liquid diet. On March 5, 2014, she is again admitted to Rajiv Gandhi due to protein, postassium less in the body and dr told us for 2 unit of blood. She is going for PET scan today and she is not eating anything from the mouth, how much time it will take to come back taste buds. She is 78 and becoming weaker and weaker day by day. Pl. advise
posted on Tue, 11 Mar 2014
Twitter Tue, 20 May 2014 Answered on
Twitter Tue, 20 May 2014 Last reviewed on
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Oncologist,  's  Response
Hi. I think the issue is not with taste buds. In fact, after radiotherapy there develops a phenomenon we called Radiation induced mucositis (RIM). There is inflammation of mucosa of mouth and throat along with destruction of salivary glands that produce watering in mouth. This results in extreme dryness in mouth and pain while eating and even talking. There can also be ulcers in mouth. Unfortunately, RIM take long time to settle and dryness of mouth usually last quite long. There are many measures you can take. Ask your mother to take more fluids and semi-solid high caloric diets. Taking frequent sips of water along food help reduce dryness. She can use artificial saliva for reducing dryness. If she is not diabetic natural honey improves RIM and also have high nutritional value. Honey can be mixed in water or milk. Nutritional supplements like ensure powder will be helpful if she is not having diabetes(sugar). If despite above measures she is unable to have good diet, A feeding tube can be passed in stomach or small intestine. Even giving water and nutrition by injections can be considered as last resort. Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help
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How Much Time It Will Take For Taste Buds To Come Back After Tongue Cancer Treatment?

Hi. I think the issue is not with taste buds. In fact, after radiotherapy there develops a phenomenon we called Radiation induced mucositis (RIM). There is inflammation of mucosa of mouth and throat along with destruction of salivary glands that produce watering in mouth. This results in extreme dryness in mouth and pain while eating and even talking. There can also be ulcers in mouth. Unfortunately, RIM take long time to settle and dryness of mouth usually last quite long. There are many measures you can take. Ask your mother to take more fluids and semi-solid high caloric diets. Taking frequent sips of water along food help reduce dryness. She can use artificial saliva for reducing dryness. If she is not diabetic natural honey improves RIM and also have high nutritional value. Honey can be mixed in water or milk. Nutritional supplements like ensure powder will be helpful if she is not having diabetes(sugar). If despite above measures she is unable to have good diet, A feeding tube can be passed in stomach or small intestine. Even giving water and nutrition by injections can be considered as last resort. Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help