Efficacy Of Normal Saline Vs Chlorhexidine Mouthwash In Prevention Of Oral Mucositis Among Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Research Article
P.M.Prathiba and M.Nagarathnam
DOI: 
xxx-xxxxx-xxxx
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Radiation therapy: use of radioactive rays in treatment of cancer. Normal saline: 0.9% sodium chloride Chlorhexidine: a chemical compound consists of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate. Oral mucositis: inflammation of oral mucosa.
Abstract: 

Research findings of A study to assess the efficacy of normal saline and chlorhexidine mouth wash in prevention of oral mucositis among patients undergoing radiation therapy at radiation oncology ward, SVIMS, Tirupati was undertaken to reduce the complications of radiation therapy. The study findings reveals that in normal saline group the mean pre interventional oral mucosists intensity was 0.240 with SD of 0.650 and the post interventional mean was 1.293 with S.D of 1.743 and the paired ‘t’ value obtained was 4.266 which is significant at P<0.01 level. In chlorhexidsine group the pre interventional mean obtained was 0.280 with S.D of 0.776 and the post interventional mean was 0.620 with S.D of 1.181 and paired t value obtained was 1.743 which is statistically not significant. When comparing the post interventional mean of normal saline group is 1.293 with S.D of 1.743 and the mean in chlorhexidine group is 0.620 with S.D of 1.181 and student ‘t’ value obtained was 2.260 which is statistically significant at P<0.01 level. These findings indicate that there was significant reduction in oral mucositis among patients receiving chlorhexidine mouth wash when compared with normal saline mouth wash.