Cancer Treatment and Dental Health

If you or anyone you love is having Cancer Treatment or is about to have Cancer treatment you may find this USA web site very helpful
"Take 3 Steps Toward Preventing Infections During Cancer Treatment"
www.preventcancerinfections.org

Cancer treatment can be very hard on your whole body. Side effects on cancer treatment on the mouth might include: infections or sores inside your mouth, taste changes, pain, tooth decay, gum disease, and a dry mouth.
We would like to help you during this time so it is important that you let us know you have cancer and are undergoing treatment.
It would help your dental health if:

• You could make an appointment for a dental check-up and clean before cancer treatment begins and during the course of treatment.
• You can discuss any potential dental treatment with your oncologist before you start your cancer treatment. The needs for tooth extraction or insertion of dental implants are the types of things that may need discussion. We will give you advise on what needs consideration.
• You let us check any removable dentures
• You tell your doctor about any bleeding of the gums, pain, or unusual felling in your teeth or gums or mouth.
• You remember to keep your mouth moist by rinsing often with water and avoid using a mouthwash that contains alcohol

How you look after your teeth by keeping them clean and eating to avoid decay isn’t any different for people with or without cancer but it is even more important because cancer treatments can affect the teeth and gums.

We have been altered that in some patients, receiving treatment for cancer with certain drugs a condition known as osteonecrosis of the jaw has been observed.

Cancer and marijuana
New Research from the UCLA School of Public Health in the USA warns that marijuana contains stronger carcinogens than tobacco. They warn that cancers of the mouth, tongue, larynx and pharynx may take years to develop. A genetic defect in some people affects the ability of DNA to heal itself and these people are 16 times more likely to develop head and neck cancer is they smoke marijuana.

If you are having cancer treatment and you experience pain in your mouth or teeth or jaw please tell both your oncologist and dentist.