| Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 | 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
dx: Stage 3 T2N2aM0 Left tonsil, base of tongue, 1 left node. HPV positive. tx: Tonsilectomy (left) then Cisplatin x2, Erbitux x7, IMRT x35 Phase 3 clinical trial. Completed 6/28/07
| | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | 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
---------------------- Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | 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.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 | Thanks. I think I'll continue using the sodium fluoride foam daily.
marilyn
dx: Stage 3 T2N2aM0 Left tonsil, base of tongue, 1 left node. HPV positive. tx: Tonsilectomy (left) then Cisplatin x2, Erbitux x7, IMRT x35 Phase 3 clinical trial. Completed 6/28/07
| | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 77 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 77 | 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
SCC left tonsil, 2 lymph nodes, modified radical neck dissection, IMRT (both sides) completed 10/25/06, Erbitux and Cisplatin weekly, Ethyol daily
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | 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
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | David, My dentist/prosthodontist specializes in oral cancer patients and he says for a lifetime once a day.
Eileen
---------------------- Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
| | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 | Is there any health risk to these daily fluoride treatments?
Don TXN2bM0 Stage IVa SCC-Occult Primary FNA 6/6/08-SCC in node<2cm PET/CT 6/19/08-SCC in 2nd node<1cm HiRes CT 6/21/08 Exploratory,Tonsillectomy(benign),Right SND 6/23/08 PEG 7/3/08-11/6/08 35 TomoTherapy 7/16/08-9/04/08 No Chemo Clear PET/CT 11/15/08, 5/15/09, 5/28/10, 7/8/11
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