"I'm So Vein...."

...as thge song says.

Has anyone had their teeth get darker through radiation? Even my porcelean vaneers are darker.

Rick

Not as much as I should I guess. I thought the flouride was more for just protecting from rotting, didn't impact whitening.

Flouride whitens as well?

Flouride can darken teeth. After using it daily for the last year, I have cut back to 3 times a week. Dentist said okay to that. My teeth were fairly white to start with, but I have noticed a teensy yellowing over the last year. FYI---radiation or chemo could discolor teeth as well.

What about drinking it in the water? When I was told I needed more flouride during radiation, I switched our Sparkletts guy to flouride water in the bottle?

I guess in time my dds will let me use some whitener. I was more surprised that it even impacted my porcelean vaneers.

Thanks,

R

Personally, I wouldn't rely on drinking water for my flouride needs after radiation. My dentist told me that some decay can take a couple years post-rads to rear it's ugly head. She is currently taking care of a woman two years out with horrible decay. She said my teeth are fine right now, but stay on top of it! I am slightly worried about getting too much flouride, so I cut down a little bit, but I am afraid to give it up. Having any sort of dental problem after rads is really bad. As my dentist said--"Let's not even go there."

How are you feeling this week, Rick?

So, what are your regular flouride treatments? What are you doing to stay on top of it? I had so many mouth sores early on that I couldn't even wear the mouth pieces with the flouride in them. So I backed off, but went to flouride water to at least thinking I was getting something. But now the teeth are getting dark, so???? I see the dds in a couple fo weeks, see what he says I guess.

I'm feeling 90% right now. Everything is good. I can eat almost everything, but most things taste bad. I still have the matallic taste and a very small tonsil ache. But certainly no room to complain compared to many. Just can't wait until April 3rd when I get the results of the first check-up.

You?

R

On 3/10/2008 rick51 wrote:

So, what are your regular flouride treatments? What are you doing to stay on top of it? I had so many mouth sores early on that I couldn't even wear the mouth pieces with the flouride in them. So I backed off, but went to flouride water to at least thinking I was getting something. But now the teeth are getting dark, so???? I see the dds in a couple fo weeks, see what he says I guess.

I'm feeling 90% right now. Everything is good. I can eat almost everything, but most things taste bad. I still have the matallic taste and a very small tonsil ache. But certainly no room to complain compared to many. Just can't wait until April 3rd when I get the results of the first check-up.

You?

R

My flouride treatment is the gel that you put in the trays and leave on for 5 min. no drinking for a half hour after. I am using biotene products for my teeth, toothpaste and mouth rinse. Gotta floss everyday, supposed to brush three times a day. No sugary drinks, gum or candy. Trident white is a gum recommended by my dentist, and comes in a fruit flavor.

Lord knows how, but I didn't get a single sore in my mouth during treatment, even though I had chemo too, so  I was able to keep up with oral hygeine.

I'm still feeling tired, and am still anemic from chemo, but I'd say I'm 75%. I am working, and running but not back to my old self yet. I still have soreness on the side where the tumor was and I am told that could be permanent(they took out alot of muscle to get the tumor out, so it will always feel weird there)

Keep doing what you're doing, Rick!