Oral Mucositis Management — ORE Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: B — Use a soft toothbrush, bland saline rinses, alcohol-free mouthwash and prescribed analgesia
Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · A = shown as B · D = shown as C · B = shown as D · C = shown as E
A is correct. Severe mucositis requires continued but non-traumatic mouth care: a soft toothbrush helps maintain plaque control, while saline or other bland alcohol-free rinses remove debris without further irritating ulcerated mucosa. Analgesia may be topical and/or systemic, particularly where oral intake is limited. A firm brush, flossing, tongue scraping and direct ulcer manipulation are unnecessarily traumatic in confluent ulceration. Undiluted chlorhexidine is not routine supportive care for established severe mucositis and may be poorly tolerated. Direct hydrogen peroxide application is inappropriate to ulcerated mucosa. Oral care should not be stopped: this increases debris accumulation, discomfort and risk of secondary oral infection. The patient also requires prompt communication with their oncology or palliative-care team because Grade 3 mucositis can compromise hydration, nutrition and medication intake.
Reference: NHS. Mucositis. Last reviewed 25 August 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mucositis/