Oral care for cancer patients

Short Description
stitute for the dentist’s professional assessment based on the individual. patient’s needs and desires. Oral care for cancer. patients.

Website: www.ada.org | Filesize: 90kb

Content
1014 JADA, Vol. 133, July 2002
FOR THE DENTAL PAT I E N T . . .
Patients who undergo cancer treatment
sometimes are unaware that it can
affect the teeth, gums, salivary glands
and other oral tissues. In some cases,
patients delay or stop their cancer treatment
because they experience painful side effects
in their mouths. To help manage these oral side
effects, the dentist and oncologist can work
together-before and during cancer treatment-to
make recovery as comfortable as possible.
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments can
cause several oral side effects:
dinflammation and ulceration of the mucous
membranes;
dpainful mouth and gums;
dan increase in the risk of developing oral and
systemic infections;
dxerostomia (commonly called “dry mouth”), a
condition in which saliva is thickened, reduced or
absent;
drampant tooth decay;
dburning, peeling or swelling tongue;
dstiffness in the jaw;
dimpaired ability to eat, speak or swallow;
dchange in ability to taste;
dpoor diet because of problems with eating.
BEFORE AND AFTER CARE
When possible, schedule a thorough dental
checkup at least two weeks before treatment
begins. At this visit, you can update your medical
history record and provide the telephone number
for the physician…