Everyday oral care during chemotherapy and radiation therapy includes the following: Brush teeth and gums with a soft-bristle brush 2 to 3 times a day for 2 to 3 minutes. Drugs may be used to when rinses and lozenges do not get rid of the fungal infection. They are used to decrease pain and the risk of broken bones. Great strides have been made in the field of cancer treatment, but many of the drugs and procedures used to kill cancer cells have a myriad of side effects on the body. Prevention of oral complications includes a healthy diet, good oral care, and dental checkups. Psychologist: For patients who are having a hard time adjusting to being unable to swallow and eat normally, psychological counseling may help. Conditions that may cause permanent swallowing problems or late effects include: Swallowing problems are managed by a team of experts. Finding and treating the infections early is important. Povidone-iodine mouthwash that does not contain alcohol may help delay or decrease mucositis caused by radiation therapy. Oral complications affect eating and speaking and may make you unable or unwilling to take part in mealtimes or to dine out. Oral mucositis is an inflammation of mucous membranes in the mouth. My chemo causes my mouth to be very dry, and decreased saliva can contribute to teeth problems as well. I don't want to tell my family, they are not a very generous bunch. When platelet counts are very low, blood may ooze from the gums. Dental treatments may be put off until the patient's immune system returns to normal. Patients receiving chemotherapy, especially those with immune systems weakened by stem cell transplant, have an increased risk of viral infections. Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can stop cells from dividing and slow the healing process in the mouth. Rinse the toothbrush in hot water every 15 to 30 seconds to keep the bristles soft. In my 33 years, I’ve never had a single cavity and always practiced excellent dental hygiene, yet I still experienced extreme teeth sensitivity post-chemo—so bad that I thought there must have been a cracked tooth in my mouth—and I came out of treatment with two cavities for the first time in my life. Cosmetic dental care for cancer patients during chemo or radiation therapy is much more risky. Do this more often if the mucositis becomes worse. Almost all patients who receive chemotherapy and head or neck radiation therapy at the same time will need tube feedings within 3 to 4 weeks. Supportive care from health care providers and family can help the patient cope with cancer and its complications. What Does it Mean When You Have a Tooth Impaction? Emotional problems from avoiding social contact with others because of trouble speaking and eating. Bleeding may occur when anticancer drugs make the blood less able to clot. The lips and tongue are the areas that are affected most often. Patients should have a dental check-up before starting treatment with this class of drugs and address any dental problems before treatment begins. If applied to the head or neck area, radiation can cause nerve damage to your teeth. A sore or burning feeling (especially on the tongue). However, for many radiation therapy patients, the change is permanent. These include the following: Oral complications may be caused by the treatment itself (directly) or by side effects of the treatment (indirectly). Use lip care products, such as cream with lanolin, to prevent drying and cracking. Ask your dentist to show you the best ways to brush and floss your teeth during chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplants can cause a lower-than-normal number of platelets in the blood. Teeth may easily stain. Surgery may damage bone, nerves, or tissue and may cause pain. Oral Dis. Some types of chemotherapy and immunotherapy can also harm cells in your mouth, throat, and lips. Dietitian: A dietitian can help plan a safe way for the patient to receive the nutrition needed for health while swallowing is a problem. The goal of the oral care plan is to find and treat oral disease that may cause complications during treatment and to continue oral care during treatment and recovery. Patients may become frustrated, withdrawn, or depressed, and they may avoid other people. Good dental hygiene, before and during cancer treatment, may help to either prevent or decrease the associated oral complications. I’m learning now that I could have taken extra measures as easy as using fluoride toothpaste (I had … How Do You Prevent Oral Complications from Cancer Treatment? The following may help prevent infection and relieve discomfort of oral in tissues: Medicines and ice may be used to prevent and treat mucositis from stem cell transplant. Treatment depends on your white blood cell count and how severe the mucositis is. Preventive care before cancer treatment begins and treating problems as soon as they appear may make oral complications less severe. Acute complications are ones that occur during treatment and then go away. Complications are new medical problems that occur during or after a disease, procedure, or treatment and that make recovery harder. If you have any cosmetic dentistry you want, it’s best to take care of them before you begin cancer treatment. How Do You Treat Oral Complications from Cancer Treatment? Treatment of oral GVHD may include the following: Oral devices need special care during high-dose chemotherapy and/or stem cell transplant. A dentist can help prevent mouth problems. The following are ways to treat mucositis during chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, or radiation therapy: Frequent rinsing removes pieces of food and bacteria from the mouth, prevents crusting of sores, and moistens and soothes sore gums and the lining of the mouth. Using mouthwashes with chlorhexidine gluconate and toothpastes without sodium lauryl sulfate can help with this. Problems in the mouth and jaw caused by the growth of, Eat a well-balanced diet. Ask the dentist or … Breakdown of tissue in the area that receives radiation. I got a call from my oncologist's office yesterday. The terms "oral mucositis" and "stomatitis" are often used in place of each other, but they are different. Cuts or cracks in the lips or at the corners of the mouth. If mouth sores begin to crust over, the following rinse may be used: Three percent hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of water or saltwater. Oral hygiene protocols recommend dental intervention before chemotherapy, which included the use of dental floss and oral rinses. My dentist said if he had known before I had chemo and radiation he would have given me a fluoride gel tray to use during treatment to keep the teeth from decalcifying. Oral complications caused by chemotherapy include the following: The most common oral complications may be caused by either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. When eating causes discomfort or pain, the patient's quality of life and nutritional well-being suffer. These changes may lead to mouth sores, infections, and tooth decay. What Are Some of the Oral Complications from Chemo and Radiation? Before chemotherapy begins, take your child to a dentist. In most patients receiving chemotherapy and in some patients receiving radiation therapy, taste returns to normal a few months after treatment ends. Meeting with a nutrition counselor may help during and after treatment. Most patients with head and neck cancers have pain. Cancer survivors who received chemotherapy or a transplant or who underwent radiation therapy are at risk of developing a second cancer later in life. Second cancers are more common in patients treated for leukemia or lymphoma, Multiple myeloma patients who received a stem cell transplant using their own stem cells sometimes develop an oral plasmacytoma. Dental problems may occur as a late effect of some treatments for childhood cancers, including: radiation therapy to the mouth, head or neck; chemotherapy (tooth development problems are more likely to occur in children under the age of 5 years or whose adult teeth haven’t yet formed) stem cell transplant; Different aspects of stem cell transplant can lead to dental problems. The dentist will check your child’s jaws for any growth problems. The oncologist works with other health care experts who specialize in treating head and neck cancers and the oral complications of cancer treatment. Cancer treatment side effects such as oral mucositis, dry mouth, skin damage from radiation, infections, and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) may all cause problems with swallowing. Chemo and teeth problems ← Previous 1 2 3 Next → Carol K C. Carol K C. Hi, I'm Carol K C. Carol K C. I had an abscess on my gum and my dentist pulled a fragment of debris from the gum. Chemotherapy usually causes acute complications that heal after treatment ends. The complications may be side effects of the disease or treatment, or they may have other causes. Breast cancer survivors and especially chemotherapy patients need to be aware that they are at a greater risk of tooth decay and other dental problems. Pain that is not controlled can affect all areas of the patient's life. Patients who have transplants may develop graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). Clean denture soaking cups and changing denture soaking solution every day. This post is for patients that are or are about to undergo chemo and/or head and neck radiation. This can upset the healthy balance of bacteria. For oral mucositis pain, topical treatments are usually used. Salivary glands usually return to normal after chemotherapy ends. Fluoride toothpaste – Prescription high fluoride toothpastes can be applied with a toothbrush, or it can be applied overnight in customized dental trays. If applied to the head or neck area, radiation can cause nerve damage to your teeth. Denosumab: A drug used to prevent or treat certain bone problems. Radiation may cause a change in sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes. 686 N Hunt Club Boulevard Before cancer treatment, the goal is to prepare for cancer treatment by treating existing oral problems. A checkup of your oral health at least a month before cancer treatment begins usually allows enough time for the mouth to heal if any dental work is needed. I have been on Arimidex over 2 years and have not had that problem, yet. A preventive oral health exam will check for the following: Patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, or radiation therapy should have an oral care plan in place before treatment begins. It occurs more often in patients who receive bisphosphonates or denosumab by injection than in patients who take them by mouth. An antifungal rinse should be used to soak dentures and dental devices and to rinse the mouth. Talk to your medical doctor or dentist about the best way to take care of your mouth during high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. Solutions to common dental issues during chemo or radiation treatment. In cancer treatment, angiogenesis inhibitors may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. It continues to decrease as treatment goes on. Bleeding, in patients receiving chemotherapy. Dental management of patients at risk of osteochemonecrosis of the jaws: a critical review. The mouth normally contains fungi that can live on or in the oral cavity without causing any problems. However, some treatments can cause permanent damage or late effects. Breakdown of bone in the area that receives radiation. Regular dental treatments, including cleaning and polishing, should wait until the transplant patient's immune system returns to normal. Patients receiving cancer treatment may be given drugs to help prevent fungal infections from occurring. One of the main issues is that chemo drugs slow the production of saliva, which contains enzymes that are vital to your oral health. Some side effects go away within 3 months after the end of treatment, and patients are able to swallow normally again. Use lubricating jelly that is water-soluble, to help keep your mouth moist. Fibrosis of muscle in the area that receives radiation. Have brackets, wires, and retainers removed before high-dose chemotherapy begins. Use a fluoride toothpaste with a mild taste. Pain from spices, alcohol, or flavoring (such as mint in toothpaste). Complications may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-lasting). Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may cause changes in the lining of the mouth and the salivary glands, which make saliva. One of my teeth needed a root canal. Giving antiviral drugs before treatment starts can lower the risk of viral infections. Stiffness may be caused by: Jaw stiffness may lead to serious health problems, including: Malnutrition and weight loss from being unable to eat normally.Slower healing and recovery from poor nutrition.Dental problems from being unable to clean the teeth and gums well and have dental treatments.Weakened jaw muscles from not using them. Stomatitis is an inflammation of mucous membranes and other tissues in the mouth. Some patients may have sensitive teeth weeks or months after chemotherapy has ended. Everyday oral care for cancer patients includes keeping the mouth clean and being gentle with the tissue lining the mouth. Saliva is needed for taste, swallowing, and speech. When there are fewer complications, cancer treatment may work better and you may have a better quality of life. Wipe mouth and teeth gently with wet gauze dipped in saltwater to remove pieces of food. Radiation therapy can destroy very small blood vessels within the bone. Other complications can develop from being unable to swallow and these can further decrease the patient's quality of life: Whether radiation therapy will affect swallowing depends on several factors. Rinse carefully so clots are not disturbed. You and your doctor can decide whether you should stop using medicines that cause ONJ, based on the effect it would have on your general health. How to Choose a Dentist Questions About Going to the Dentist Ask an ADA Dentist Dental Emergencies Paying for Dental Care Problems with Your Dentist + Resources. First, find out what chemo drugs you were given and report your broken teeth to the drug company. Dental Side effects of Chemotherapy Everyone is different, and there are many different chemotherapy drugs, so not everyone will have the same side effects. Medicines may be given to help prevent mouth sores or help the mouth heal faster if it is damaged by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Changes in taste (dysguesia) are common during chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Treatment for head and neck cancers may affect the ability to move the jaws, mouth, neck, and tongue. This helps prevent, find, and treat complications as soon as possible. How severe the dryness is depends on the dose of radiation and the number of salivary glands that receive radiation. Fluoride treatments to prevent tooth decay. Your specialist nurse and doctor will talk to you about how to care for your mouth during and after treatment. Facts on Mouth Problems Caused by Chemotherapy and Radiation. Cancer treatments may cause mouth, throat, and dental problems. ©2018 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved. For severe pain, opioids may be prescribed. The dentist will check your child’s mouth carefully and pull loose teeth or those that may become loose during treatment. In others, the taste buds may recover 6 to 8 weeks or more after radiation therapy ends. A feeling of tightness in the skin or in the lining of the mouth. This can cause problems with the body's blood clotting process. home A team that includes a speech and swallowing therapist can help the patients with the return to normal eating. To make the saltwater mixture, put 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). Problems such as cavities, broken teeth, loose crowns or fillings, and gum disease can get worse or cause problems during cancer treatment. Mucositis may cause the following problems: Care of mucositis during chemotherapy and radiation therapy includes cleaning the mouth and relieving pain. Everybody reacts differently to chemo drugs and the problems may only linger during the treatment or a short time after the treatment ends. Brush 2 to 3 times a day and use an antibacterial rinse. Cancer patients have a high risk of oral complications for a number of reasons: Sometimes treatment doses need to be decreased or treatment stopped because of oral complications. If you are newly diagnosed with any form of cancer and will be seeking treatment, you should establish a relationship with a dentist who has experience in providing dental care for cancer patients as soon as possible. Use a foam brush only if a soft-bristle brush cannot be used. Problems in the mouth and jaw caused by loss of tissue and bone. This slows down the ability of oral tissue to repair itself by making new cells. 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