Oral discomfort in palliative care: results of an exploratory study of the experiences of terminally ill patients.

An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken with the aim of examining oral discomfort from the perspective of terminally ill patients. Interviews focusing on the experiences and perceptions of oral discomfort and effects on day-to-day functioning among 14 palliative care patients from a mid-size hospital in a regional city in Australia were conducted. The findings reveal that a range of oral problems significantly impact on the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of terminally ill patients to varying degrees, sometimes over extended periods of time.