Therapeutic alternatives with mouthwashes for management oral mucositis: an integrative review

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct an integrative review to assess the efficacy of the mouthwashes recommended for the prevention and treatment of Oral mucositis (OM) and oropharyngeal mucositis (OPM) in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Method: The research question was formulated based on the PICOS strategy: “Are chlorhexidine, allopurinol, benzydamine and propolis mouthwashes effective in preventing and treating OM and OPM in patients undergoing cancer treatment?” Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, OpenGrey and Google Scholar, without publication year or language restrictions. Randomized clinical trials comparing the use of chlorhexidine, allopurinol, benzydamine and propolis with a control group or a group that did not undergo any intervention were included. The retrieved articles were analyzed and selected by two reviewers and disagreements were resolved by consultation with a third reviewer. Results: After evaluation of the works, 13 of 1183 articles were selected. Mouthwashes containing propolis and benzydamine mouthwashes were promising and effective in the management of mucositis while chlorhexidine or allopurinol did not provide satisfactory results. Conclusion: Mouthwashes could be an alternative for treatment or preventing oral mucositis in cancer patients. Services could consider the possibility of incorporating these medications since, in most cases, they are low cost and do not require specialized staff in their use.