Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cancer cells and stop their growth. But, unfortunately, they can also damage healthy cells, especially the white blood cells that protect your body against infection. When the white blood cells are damaged, they release a protein called myeloperoxidase into the saliva. The myeloperoxidase reacts with the oxygen in saliva to create compounds called leukotrienes. Because these foreign substances give off a yellow or white color when they come into contact with air, you can have a yellow or white tongue during treatment.
Chemotherapy’s effects on oral health depend largely on the type of drugs administered to patients. For example, if a patient receives a treatment plan that includes an alkylating agent like cyclophosphamide, an antimetabolite such as fluorouracil (5-FU), or a DNA intercalator like methotrexate, the patient may experience oral problems. These include conditions such as soreness of the mouth and tongue, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or chewing food due to sores in the throat or mouth, altered taste sensation, and difficulty speaking due to swollen mucous membranes in the throat or mouth. Also, it may cause long-term problems such as tooth decay and cavities, as saliva production decreases, and gastrointestinal irritation, as stomach acid increases.
