I was aware from BCN that a side effect of chemo is the possibility of a sore mouth but my dentist told me today that there’s a fair-2-middling chance that I’ll lose some or all of my teeth!
In fact, as much as he didn’t want to worry me unduly (he’s really nice) I eventually learned that chemo, radio and the meds all pose a threat to the roots & gums. He’s arranged for 3-monthly appts for me to keep and eye on things and said that I have to ring for an emergency appt at any point mid visits if anything changes.
Has anyone who’s gone through treatment had any problems like this please?
Hi, it very much depends on the state of your teeth and gums before you start chemo. Gum disease, where teeth lose the bone that supports them is always triggered off by plaque around the teeth, particularly in between the teeth. Chemo, reduces the immune system so if there is existing disease, it will have a much greater impact. So does smoking, so if you smoke, quit now as smokers are so much more prone to gum problems even without chemo. Radiotherapy, unless it is directly on the teeth or jaw, will have little or no effect. Keep your teeth as clean as you can - get a soft toothbrush and clean gently, but thoroughly. Get some of the little bottle brushes to clean in between the teeth. I can’t stress how important good oral hygiene is when immune system lowered. You will get bleeding gums, partly due to chemo but also if there is inflammation, they will bleed as well. It is also important that you get a regular check up from the dentist and hopefully get your teeth cleaned thoroughly before treatment.m With regards dental decay, on chemo and certain meds, you are likely to have a dry mouth, so bacteria that causes decay has more of an impact. Make sure you use a fluoride toothpaste and clean as well as you can. Try to keep sugary drinks and foods to a mimimum. With good home care, regular check ups and eating sensibly, as long as your teeth are in good health to begin with, there is no reason why you should lose them at all.
Interesting, my dentist wont see me until chemo is over unless an emergency. Advised to have dental work before chemo which i did and my teeth are fine.
Hi there i have finished all my tratment now but at my pre-chemo dental check my dentist checked all my teeth all which were in good order but he coated them with a protection stuff ( like they do kids ) and he said it would last for life and protect the enamel I also used a non alcohol mouthwash and my teeth and gums and mouth for that matter have been fine just make sure you take extra calcium and healthy fruit and veg in diet and brush them regular .I have a number of friends who have gone through treatment and havent lost any teeth . im sure you will be fine but do ask about coating them before you start xx Julie
I’d echo the above, like hatty my dentist didn’t want to see me until I finished.
He did recommend getting any problems sorted before starting chemo amnd buying a good electric toothbrush and I bought a ‘sonic’ one which was expensive but sooo much better than even my ordinary electric toothbrush. If you can afford it I recommend it. Got mine half price at argos last summer so shop around.
I met someone who lost all her teeth, she said, but don’t know what problems she had before. Don’t know anyone else who had anything like such major problems. I have my first check up post chemo next week, but have had no issues during.
Your mouth does feel like a toilet at times during chemo. You will want to jeep it clean. Non alcohol mouthwash is great, I used Weleda’s which contains myrrh, several times a day when my mouth was furry.
i finidhrd chemo in august. I was told not to use my electric toothbrush as you dont want to risk bleeding gums cos of chemo/infection risk. I was told to use a very soft toothbrush. My dentist is fab. He did a thorough pre chemo check, scale and polish. He also painted some special stuff on to protect them. He told me to concentrate on getting through chemo as we could always sort the teeth out later. He recommended spevisl flouride toothpaste and mouthwash, both of which i could get free on prescription. Because my dentist is private, he wrote the names down for me and my gp prescribed them for me so they were free with my ptescription exemption. My teeth did fine through chemo, cleaned them well but gently morning and night. Good luck with your treatment
I haven’t had any actual treatment (other than removal of a wisdom tooth 4yrs ago) for the last 8+ years. Currently gums & teeth are fine so fingers crossed, they stay that way. The coating sounds like a good idea (it sounds like the ‘fissure sealing’ my daughter had 25yrs ago) but he never mentioned it. Also, he said that it’s the roots that could be ‘attacked’ so I guess coating the teeth wouldn’t have figured in his treatment plan. Other than my normal oral hygiene routine & more frequent check-ups, he just recommended ensuring I have plenty of milk/yoghurt etc for calcium.
I had horrible mouth trouble with chemo and for a year after. Sores and recurrant oral thrush. I now change my toothbrush every week-10 days, use mouth wash and have daktarin oral gel in case anythign starts up and all is good.
All My teeth are still with me but if i am careless with my oral hygiene now i instantly get problems ie sores- big ones on my toungue usually!such agony. found pineapple and difflam mouth wash were saviours.
The coating will likely be fissure sealants and are only useful for the biting surfaces of teeth to protect them. As far as the roots are concerned, if you have a lot of gum recession (which can happen naturally, nothing to do with gum disease) the roots are more vulnerable than the enamel for decay. You can get fluoride treatment, but using a fluoride toothpaste and not rinsing after brushing should be ok. Its the dry mouth along with the sugary stuff which causes decay. We see root decay in elderly people because they are on lots of meds, have gum recession and eat lots of sweets because of dry mouth. I really can’t see why he would say your teeth would drop out? I think a lot of dentists really dont know much about the effects of chemo on the teeth and panic a bit. For example, an electric brush used correctly will not damage the gums - in fact, it will clean thoroughly and protect the gums. Not brushing is far more harmful. However, a soft toothbrush is just as good (I always recommend a soft brush for all my patients not just ones on chemo).
Difflam is good for a sore mouth - so is a product called Gelclair. It comes in sachets and “coats” the gums and soft tissue. Your GP or oncologist can prescribe this.
I am guessing that you already have some tooth or gum problems for your dentist to say that. Either that or he’s being a bit alarmist.
I would say that on the whole I do have problem teetch but didn’t have much trouble at all during treatment. I did though get a patch of staining on my front tooth from the chemo, that’s inside the tooth rather than on the surface - it’s rare but can happen. It’s not terrible though so I’m going to leave it.
Have any treatment that needs doing before you start chemo if possible. Try to have the healthiest diet you can to keep gums healthy. Get yourself a new toothbrush - I used a soft one as gums are more prone to bleeding. Your mouth does usually get dry during chemo which may make teeth more prone to decay. Personally I didn’t like the mouthwash but a regular rinse of the mouth even with water can help and try to keep your fluids up. As Cathy says tried to avoid sucking lots of sweets if your mouth is dry.