Sore mouth or throat or when eating is painful

General recommendations

• Eat soft, mashed, smooth or moist foods such as avocados, squash, pumpkins, papaya, bananas, yoghurt, creamed vegetables, soups, pasta dishes and minced food.
• Add liquids to foods or soften dry food by dipping in liquids.
• Drink cold drinks, soups, vegetable and fruit juices.
• Use a straw for drinking fluids.
• If your gums are painful and you cannot brush your teeth, rinse your mouth with bicarbonate of soda mixed with water.
• Chewing small pieces of green mango, kiwi or green papaya may help to relieve pain and discomfort.
• Drink spice teas, fermented sour cabbage or yoghurt.

Foods and drinks to avoid

• Very spicy and salty foods such as chillies and curries.
• Acidic or very sour foods such as oranges, lemons, pineapple, vinegar and tomatoes.
• Food and drinks that are too hot or too cold. Keep at room temperature.
• Foods that need a lot of chewing such as raw vegetables, or are sticky and hard to swallow such as peanut butter.
• If candida (oral thrush) is diagnosed, cut down on sweet foods such as sugar, honey and sweet fruit and drinks because sugar may make the condition worse.