A mouth rinse based on a tea solution of Salvia officinalis for oral discomfort in palliative cancer care: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Few clinical studies evaluate interventions to reduce oral discomfort among patients in palliative care. Aim: This study examines the efficacy of a Salvia officinalis (SO) based herbal mouth rinse compared to conventional normal saline (NS) in order to improve oral health. Design: A block-randomized controlled trial. Data were collected before and after a 4-day intervention with either SO (n=44) or NS (n=44). Numerical rating scales (NRS, 0-10) and 12 items from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Oral Health 17 (EORTC QLQ-OH17) measured patient-reported oral symptoms. An oral examination was performed before and after the intervention. Setting/participants: This study included adult patients with late-stage cancer in an inpatient hospice unit. Results: Of the 88 patients included (mean age=63.9 years, SD=10.6), 73 (83%) completed the study. At baseline, 78% reported dry mouth on the EORTC QLQ-OH17, and 80% rated dry mouth ≥4 on the NRS. Total oral health scores based on the 12 EORTC QLQ-OH17 items improved similarly in both groups (p