Have started radiation to T2N2Mo scc base of tongue, am in seventh week of chemo, post left neck disection. I hade all my dental work done,couple of crowns, 4 extractions, doing well. Dentist gave me trays for flouride treatment, told me to use them all night. (appears,on line most recomendations are for 10-45 min.)I can stand it only for about 3 hrs. then start to have tooth pain and bleeding gums. Plan to see oral surgeon later today. Tolerating other stuff well. Any great experance out there? Edd

Edd,

I've never heard of using them all night. For one thing, you're generally not supposed to swallow any of the types of fluoride that I've seen (and I don't know how you could go all night without inadvertently swallowing some of it). I've been told to use them anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes at a time.

Cathy

Back when I had real teeth, I used the trays all night, as directed. I put a drop of the fluoride in each tooth segment of the tray and then put it in my mouth. Lot of good that did me (grin). I think the recommendations now are for the shorter periods. The dentist who made my trays was not very experienced with people about to get rad. Edd, the trays pressing on your tender gums could certainly be causing the bleeding. It would seem reasonable to me to follow a shorter schedule as long as you are consistent about doing it.

The instructions for the flouride treatment vary but the stuff I use says 5 minutes, max. I had a dental oncologist and my personal dentists son had just completed dental school at UCLA where they have a special course for xerostomia and oral cancer patient treatment issues.

Harry's trays were supposed to be for 3 minutes. But, he wasn't able to use them much because his tongue hurt so bad. He is using them again now but it was about 2 months that he wasn't able to during treatment and shortly after.

Cindy

Thanks to all for your response. My oral surgeon agrees. Will try 20 min. each eve. Untill salivia supply again good. Edd

Mt dentist also made trays for me to use. 2x a day for five minutes each. The radiation doctor I had said that sometimes the floride will turn your teeth brown so if you use them for long periods, check the color of your teeth frequently. I was told that the floride was to make your enamel harder thus less prone to decay. Pulling a tooth AFTER palate area radiation is very complicated due to the jaw bone being damaged and not able to heal easily.

Brian

Ok, so what's the consensus on the length of fluoride treatment.

I was given Prevident 5000 1.1% fluoride and 0.4 stannous fluoride told to use for 45 minutes.

I keep trays in for 5-10 minutes, then remove and spit out excess flouride. I do not rinse/eat for another 25 minutes.

I do this twice a day.

My dentist says to keep trays in for 5 minutes only then rinse (2 times per day). The tube of 1.1% SF gel (that I use) advises "at least" 1 minute with trays, spitting out excess flouride, then not eating/drinking for 30 minutes.

Chris

5 minutes is what my dentist has said as well. In my case, most of my saliva has recovered so it is once a day.

On the issue of removing teeth after radiation, I can attest that it is a delicate process. I had to do HBO treatments before and after I had to get my wisdom teeth pulled post-radiation. 7 weeks total for pulling 4 teeth. But everything has healed.

Jim