The Use of Candy and Honey in Decreasing Salivary Gland Damage Following Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Candy and Honey in Decreasing Salivary Gland Damage Following Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of honey mouthwashes in the prevention of salivary side effects of 131I (radioiodine) therapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• >18 years old
• They had a histological diagnosis of papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer
• They had undergone total thyroidectomy
• They were able to provide consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who had distant metastases,
• a history of salivary-gland disorders,
• collagen tissue disease
• diabetes mellitus,
• previous radioiodine therapy or external radiation to the head or neck
• allergy to the honey