I've been using OralB Minute Fluoride Foam (1.23% fluoride) nightly for over 2 years now. I'm happy with it, my teeth are holding up, but my dentist wants me to use the foam less often. He says 2x per week is all I need. He's a good general practice dentist but he has no experience with oral cancer patients. (I learned about the minute foam from this forum while I was in treatment. I had to insist that my dentist get it for me as the fluoride toothpaste he told me to keep in overnight caused my gums to bleed.)

How frequently do other people use fluoride? Is there any reason to reduce the usage over time?

Thanks,
marilyn

I use GelKam in floride trays daily and was told I needed to use it daily the rest of my life. Despite that, I have had to have all my remaining teeth capped due to decay.

What type of flouride is it, how do you use it, and why does he state you should use it less? i.e. what damage is it doing to anything other than your pocketbook?

Take care,
Eileen

I also use the trays and have been since one month pre Tx. I had excellent teeth going in and my dentist tells me I should use them for the rest of my life.

Thanks. I think I'll continue using the sodium fluoride foam daily.

marilyn

Hi Marilyn,

I had a dentist during treatment who specialized in oral cancer patients. He checked me regularly during treatment to make sure everything was going ok, and started me on flouride trays at the start of radiaion treatment - twice per day.

He advised that even if I get my saliva back, which I have almost completely, that the chemistry of the saliva, due to the radiation damaage, will not protect against tooth decay.

My regular dentist was very good at his job, but (in my opinion) knew nothing about oral cancer patients. I would personally not trust his judgement, or that of other regular dentists, in this area.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris,

So are you saying that your dentist that specializes in OC patients recommends lifetime fluoride use when one, like us, have been tortured with oral radiation?

David,
My dentist/prosthodontist specializes in oral cancer patients and he says for a lifetime once a day.

Eileen

Is there any health risk to these daily fluoride treatments?