What kind of side effects do cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy have in the mouth?


The application of such treatments, especially to the head and neck region, can have very serious consequences. Likewise, this treatment can damage not only cancer cells, but also your own healthy cells (including oral tissues). Side effects seen in both forms of treatment are as follows: Painful mouth and gums, ulcerations (sores), burning sensation in your tongue, widespread bruises, dry mouth, changes in taste, difficulty in eating, speaking and swallowing. In addition, some people may develop infections that will lead to interruption of treatment. The best advice we can give to someone diagnosed with cancer is to see the dentist at least two weeks before starting treatment. The dentist will do a general examination, take any necessary x-rays, and then identify any infections and cavities that may be causing problems. The most common problem in people suffering from dry mouth is cavities due to the decrease in salivary flow. In this case, fluoridated mouthwashes will be useful in eliminating this problem. In fact, a fluorinated gel applied to the mouth with a personalized mouthpiece may also be recommended. To reduce the side effects of dry mouth, avoiding sugary foods, chewing ice, rinsing your mouth frequently, chewing sugarless gum will also be beneficial as it will increase saliva secretion. Most of the time, as a result of cancer treatment, people may hold their jaws and the patient cannot open their mouth very much. To prevent this, exercise should be done three times a day. It will be enough to repeat this movement 20 times by opening and closing the mouth so much that it does not cause pain.


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