Dimensions of Dental
Hygiene,12(8), 26-29.
Neoplasia
Following heart disease, cancer remains the second highest cause of death in
the United States and continues to raise its numbers year after year. Whether its lung
cancer, pancreatic cancer or breast cancer all forms require special treatment including
surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy or a combination of them all. Patients that
are in the process of treatment for cancer around the head and neck area are dealing
with a long uncomfortable and painful experience. Radiation to the head and neck area
comes with multiple side effects in the oral cavity which can make dental treatment
extremely difficult and may be an unpleasant appointment for the individual. Treatment
is thought to kill the bad cells and only the bad cells but that is not the case, it is also
injuring our healthy cells as well. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy display a
common side effect known as Oral Mucositis, causing generalized inflammation and
ulceration throughout the oral cavity. If the oral cavity is irritated the individual most
likely is doing the least amount of proper hygiene and eating less food causing the body
to become deficient in nutrients. Xerostomia, nausea & vomiting, and oral bacterial
infection are other side effects of cancer that all make the patient more prone to
the patient in the effort to lessen the side effects of radiation or chemotherapy by
decreasing inflammation during therapy, increasing their appetite. An individual with
cancer is immunocompromised and are very vulnerable to infection so there are a lot of
risk factors that arise when doing any type of procedure on cancer patients.
nausea or vomiting, dry mouth and many other side effects of cancer, it is important to
take special precautions to meet our patient's needs. Maintaining a professional yet
trusting relationship with the patient may make the dental treatment more efficient and
increase their confidence and overall quality of life. Many alterations to basic home care
may need to be made while the patient is going through treatment including
infection, using an extra soft-bristled toothbrush, and avoiding spicy foods. If the
appropriate actions are taken the individual will be able to maintain a healthy oral cavity
during the time of their treatment. Routine comprehensive oral examinations are crucial
to monitor the overall health of the patient and the status of their oral cavity. After
reading this article I feel more confident in how to treat those with cancer along with
those going through treatment. It wouldn’t make sense to try to explain the
measurements to maintain proper oral hygiene if I did not understand them myself. I
recognized multiple things in this article that we have previously discussed in lecture
including side effects and how to manage those side effects. Oral hygiene instruction is
something that every single patient needs and it is essential for those that need more
strict instruction to be educated on the importance of oral hygiene and how it can affect
the rest of the body. All parts of the body, including the oral cavity, need to remain
strong and in its most healthy state while undergoing treatment for cancer and as a
dental hygienist I agree that we are pledged to play a role in increasing the individual's