The causes of the side-effects of cancer treatments that affect the mouth (oral mucositis, taste abnormalities and xerostomia/thick saliva) are as follows: 

Oral mucositis is the inflammation of the mucosal membranes that line the mouth, throat and esophagus (1). This inflammation can cause pain with swallowing (odynophagia), alterations in taste (dysgeusia), mouth dryness (xerostomia) and increase the risk of infections, such as oral thrush (2). Oral mucositis