Dental Issues

I would like to know if anyone has had any dental issues since radiation.  I am18 months out from my last radiation treatment and have noticed a lot of discomfort mainly in the lower jaw.  My gums have rreceited a bit and on the majority of problems are on the left side, where the tonsil and neck disection were done.

A dentist told me the radiation has cracked a lot of filllings and have caused a lot of sensitivity. I also have discoloration since radiaiton as well.   Someone else mentioned, eventually all the teeth would probably break or fall out in time as a result.

Would like to know others experience with this.

Thanks

Patricia

 

Hi, Patricia. I'm over on the brain cancer board, but I read your message. I've been having a lot of trouble with my teeth since whole brain radiaition. They warned that I might. A great deal of sensitivity on one side only--thank God. I'm 5 months past rads and it seems to only worsen. I use sensodyne tooth paste, but it only relives the pain temporarily. Wish I had a solution for you or answers to your questions. Good luck to you.

I am 10 months out from chemo/rads for tonsil cancer. My teeth and gums look excellent, but my dentist has told me to remain vgilant as problems can continue for up to 2 years. That being said, I have a lot of jaw discomfort--supposedly not dental related. My oral surgeon believes it is a combo of rads, jawcleching and teeth grinding causing the pain.

Uh, that should read jaw-clenching!

After treatment I had receding gums and extremely sensitive teeth. I could not handle hot, cold, sweet, or acidic food in any amounts. My dentist recommended that I use an alcohol-free flouride rinse for a minute twice a day along with Sensodyne toothpaste. I did and no longer have any sensitivity whatsoever. It took a few months until I felt the results (or didn't feel the sensitivity) but I was religious about it. I continue to this day and have no problems...well with my  teeth anyway.

Good luck!

Joe 

 

On 4/3/2008 Defjoeb wrote:

After treatment I had receding gums and extremely sensitive teeth. I could not handle hot, cold, sweet, or acidic food in any amounts. My dentist recommended that I use an alcohol-free flouride rinse for a minute twice a day along with Sensodyne toothpaste. I did and no longer have any sensitivity whatsoever. It took a few months until I felt the results (or didn't feel the sensitivity) but I was religious about it. I continue to this day and have no problems...well with my  teeth anyway.

Good luck!

Joe 

for so long nothing could touch my teeth, i had mouth sores,and could only drink room tem water with a straw in the back of the throat. i washed my teeth with a small amount of tom's natural toothpaste. as time went on my dentist was kind enough to give me the floride foam and the mouth plates so i could do the floride everyother day. it was a struggle the teeth were so sensitive and it took awhile, it has been a year and i can just starting sensodyne after all that time, no alochol of any kind, i just get them cleaned more often and use a childs soft tooth brush, it made it hard to eat but now it is better.

Hi Patricia,

I am about 1-1/2 years post treatment (modified radical neck dissection, 6-1/2 weeks of IMRT, weekly cisplatin and erbitux, daily ethyol for SCC left tonsil with two lymph nodes).

Since starting treatment, I do twice daily treatments with 1.1% flouride in trays (30 minutes total each time).  I also have a rigorous daily cleaning ritual using toothpicks to clean my gum line and compress my gums between my teeth, cleaning between my teeth with a small round brush (I forget the name, but it's like a little bottle brush), and flossing.

My teeth and gums have stayed in great shape so far, and I have not heard that I can expect any significant problems if I keep up the daily regimen.

Best wishes,

Chris

Thank you so much. I have to admit, I've slacked off on the Flouride as it would hurt the gum area and feel like it an electric shock on that tooth or just below the gum. 

I have some trays that I use to use during radiation, but due to the blisters I had stopped.  I do brush twice a day, floss after each meal and try to use the flouride at night.

Sometimes I clench my teeth during the day, as it feels a little better when I do that.  I've heard from a couple of people that their teeth have broken off, bleed and had the doctor told them this would happen they would have done something then and not go this pain.  Of course this is from a person who is 6 years out.

I think if you have taken good care of your teeth prior to this, then it will be alright.  So I think I will be fine.  But it is the discomofrt at times I feel it.  I too, as you, had Erbitux and that radiation for 7 weeks.  neck disection, left side, 11 taken out and 2 with cancer. 

I am really good except for the tightness in the neck area and when the weather changes I feel the tightness, but I do excersizes for that as well.  If you get to find out the name of the little brush, let me know.  Sounds like one of theose small ones that come in the baby pet bottles for little pups/kittens to wash their little bottles out.

Thank you again and it is great to hear from you.  It's a straight shot up from her on up for us.  God Bless!!!

Patricia

 

 

On 4/2/2008 pcn17 wrote:

I would like to know if anyone has had any dental issues since radiation.  I am18 months out from my last radiation treatment and have noticed a lot of discomfort mainly in the lower jaw.  My gums have rreceited a bit and on the majority of problems are on the left side, where the tonsil and neck disection were done.

A dentist told me the radiation has cracked a lot of filllings and have caused a lot of sensitivity. I also have discoloration since radiaiton as well.   Someone else mentioned, eventually all the teeth would probably break or fall out in time as a result.

Would like to know others experience with this.

Thanks

Patricia

 

hi....my mom has had head and neck cancer. the radiation has destroyed her salivia glands as well as her teeth.  as a matter of fact we just got back today from the Oral Surgeon who is trying to decide what to do.  She can only open her mouth 1 centimeter (they measured it today).  Her teeth will need to be removed but they are unable to get the tools in to do so.  her jawbone is also starting to deterorate.  she is in so much pain, they finally got the pain medicine regulated so her can focus on pain managment until another biopsy is taken. she is supposed to have that in a few weeks.  they will not decide what treatment options we have until they find out if the cancer has returned.

she found out she had cancer in 2005.....she had the neck disection in june of that year after 7 weeks of radiation twice a day!