Effects of probiotics on clinical appearance of oral mucositis in children with leukemia during chemotherapy

Introduction: Mucositis is one of the side effects induced by chemotherapy. It results in pain, discomfort, difficulties in talking, swallowing, eating, drinking, poor nutrition, systemic weakness and life-threatening infections. Probiotics contain nonpathogenic live microorganisms that give benefit to our health and help in preventing inflammation in the oral cavity. Several studies have reported the use of probiotics for oral health purposes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of probiotic to oral mucositis in children with hematology cancer that underwent the chemotherapy process before gargling, 7 days after gargling, and 14 days after gargling with probiotic. Materials and Methods: The study was held in National Cancer Hospital. Eleven patients were meet the criteria. One day after the chemotherapy started, the researcher checked the patient’s oral health condition using Oral Assessment Guide (OAG). Then the patient started to gargle the probiotic twice a day for 7 days and the researcher rechecked the score of oral mucositis after 7 days and 14 days. Results: There was a significance decreasing OAG score between before gargling with 7 days and 14 days after gargling probiotics. Conclusions: Probiotics gave effects in children with leukemia during chemotherapy and could be an alternative therapy for oral mucositis.