Dental Professional Blog

Oral pain associated with inflammation of the inside lining of the mouth is often a serious side effect of cancer treatments (radiation , chemotherapy as well as bone marrow transplant).  This condition is called Oral Mucositis (OM) and causes redness, mouth ulcers and sores that can be very painful and distressing. Oral pain makes it difficult to eat, drink, and even speak and may be associated with infection. All this is affecting patients’ quality of life and their social and emotional well-being.

Different strategies are used to try and prevent and treat this condition. Cryotherapy (ice chips) and keratinocyte growth factor (palifermin®) showed some benefit in preventing mucositis. Sucralfate is somewhat effective in reducing the severity of mucositis. Aloe vera, amifostine, intravenous glutamine, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), honey, laser and antibiotic lozenges containing polymixin/tobramycin/amphotericin (PTA) showed weaker evidence of benefit.  To date, we do not have an effective treatment/remedy to help patients overcome oral mucositis.

The StellaLife^® VEGA^® Oral Care Recovery Kit (Rinse, Spray and Gel) is based on homeopathic principals and have 16 active ingredients that are designed to decrease inflammation, activate patient’s immune cells, accelerate healing, and provide analgesia. The StellaLife^® products are also designed to provide hydrating properties to the oral cavity and thus help alleviate symptoms of xerostomia (dry mouth).  Preliminary clinical data show very promising results for VEGA  recovery Kit  as a treatment option for patients with Oral Mucositis.

Ref.: Helen V Worthington et al School of Dentistry, The University of Manchester, Cochrane Oral Health Group, Manchester, UK. Helen V Worthington, Cochrane Oral Health Group, School of Dentistry, The University of Manchester, Coupland III Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. helen.worthington@manchester.ac.uk.

Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment. Review: First published: 13 April 2011; Editorial Group: Cochrane Oral Health Group

For questions, please call StellaLife^® at (800) 828-7265 or email us at info@stellalife.com.

About the author: Dr. Walter Tatch has been a board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon for over 18 years. He is a graduate of University of California at San Francisco and University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Tatch is a Fellow of American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American and International Associations of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is also a member of numerous professional organizations including ADA, CDA, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Tatch is affiliated with StellaLife.