Efficacy of chlorhexidine for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in cancer patients: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

Oral mucositis occurs in patients undergoing chemoradiation for cancer treatment. It is believed that colonization of ulcerated mucosa by bacteria, fungi, and virus results in secondary infections. The effect of chlorhexidine on the incidence and severity of oral mucositis in patients with cancer was evaluated in this review.