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Yoon, S., & Stefanou, L. (2014). Treating Patients With Cancer.

​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

developing caries or future periodontal disease. Corticosteroid drugs may be taken by

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.

Considering a patient is undergoing an uncomfortable amount of pain, discomfort,

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

supplements to help increase the production of saliva, routine rinsing to prevent

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

overall quality of life while they fight to keep it.

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