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#108689 12-12-2009 05:48 PM
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Hi folks

I have a very dry mouth (salivary glands radiated) but through regular dentist visits, daily fluoride treatments etc have been able to keep my teeth healthy.

They do discolour easily though and I wondered if other members have a magic cure for that. I clean with Biotene and treat with gel-kam after my coffee in the morning and they feel and look clean and white but after a couple of hours they become discoloured even though I drink water constantly.

Season's greetings and love from Helen



RHTonsil SCC Stage IV tx completed May 03
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As you know I had no radiation but hope someone here will come up with that magic cure. Having said that I do not think my teeth are looking as bright (would not call it white) as they should and will take it up with my dentist next visit wink
Love
Gabriele


History Leukoplakia bx 8/2006 SCC floor mouth T3N0M0- Verrucous Carcinoma.
14 hour 0p SCC-Right ND/excision/marginal mandibulectomy 9/2006, 4 teeth removed, flap from wrist, trach-ng 6 days- no chemo/rad.
6 ops and debulking (flap/tongue join) + bx's 2006-2012.
bx Jan 2012 Hyperkeratosis-Epithelial Dysplasia
24cm GIST tumour removed 8/2013. Indefinite Oral Chemo.

1/31/16 passed away peacefully surrounded by family

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Unfortunately, I can't help with the dry mouth, because I suffer from that myself and besides the biotene spray nothing else seems to work very well for me.

I use Gel-Kam regularly on all of my top remaining teeth. After continual use of Gel-kam a side effect of it is that it discolors teeth and the stains can only be removed by a clean from the dentist. I get my teeth professionally cleaned now every 2 months, and that removes any discoloration or stains from that treatment.

Karen


Last edited by Karen Rose; 12-12-2009 09:06 PM. Reason: typo

46 yrs:
Apr 07-SCC 80% entire tongue removed,T4N1M0
Neck/D,Jaw Split, Trache 2 ops,PEG 3.5yrs
30 x rad,6 x Cisplatin,
30 x HBO
Apr'08- flap Recon + ORN Mandibulectomy
(hip bone to reconstruct jaw)
Oct'08 1 Plate out-jaw
Mar'09 Debulk flap
Sep'09/Jan&Nov'10/Feb&Jun'11/Jan&Jul'12/Oct'13/April'14-More surgery
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aussieh Offline OP
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That is interesting, Karen. I didn't know about the gel-kam side effect. I have been using is daily for nearly 7 years. At present I go to the hygenist 2 or 3 times a year. Maybe I should be going more often.

Best wishes for your recovery, Helen


RHTonsil SCC Stage IV tx completed May 03
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Same problem with discoloration here and I use gel-kam too. Mine look worse than they did when I was a 3 pack a day smoker. I hate it. I think it is the stannus fluoride vs the other kind whose name I forget at the moment. The stannus fluoride is suuposed to work better than the other one according to my fancy prosthodonitst. I get my teeth scaled and cleaned every two months by the hygenist and they stay somewhat white.

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
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My dentist mentioned to me about the staining but there is a message on the Gel-kam box that reads:


"Provides protection against dental decay. Helps reduce plaque and gingivitis after regular brushing and flossing. This is a preventative flouride treatment gel, not a toothpaste.

IMPORTANT: This product may produce temporary surface staining of teeth. Regular toothbrushing may prevent these stains, which are not harmful or permanent, and may be removed by your dental professional."

I have only been using Gel-kam for about 18 months.

Karen

Last edited by Karen Rose; 12-14-2009 04:04 PM.

46 yrs:
Apr 07-SCC 80% entire tongue removed,T4N1M0
Neck/D,Jaw Split, Trache 2 ops,PEG 3.5yrs
30 x rad,6 x Cisplatin,
30 x HBO
Apr'08- flap Recon + ORN Mandibulectomy
(hip bone to reconstruct jaw)
Oct'08 1 Plate out-jaw
Mar'09 Debulk flap
Sep'09/Jan&Nov'10/Feb&Jun'11/Jan&Jul'12/Oct'13/April'14-More surgery
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 528
aussieh Offline OP
"OCF Down Under"
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Whoops, it's the same old story!! READ the instructions!
Very helpful, thanx Karen.
love from Helen


RHTonsil SCC Stage IV tx completed May 03
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Hi all,

My brother who lives in Turkey got tongue cancer(SCC) almost 6 month ago. thats why I did register here. I thought I could find some answers I have been looking for.

He had a surgery, neck dissection. and then he had chemo and underwent radiation therapy for six weeks. chemo was one day per week. He has been having a problem with eating and speaking.
but the most problem for him is SALIVARY GLANDS. saliva production has been droped within 1-2 weeks after starting radiation therapy. I can not tell how much dose of radiation he was irradiated. His doctor's says his salivary glands may not recover again.

My question is that there is any thing else to protect or recover Salivary flow. mey be there is some medicene or something else, I do not know.



Iwill be really glad if you guys help me.

thank you in advance

BIRKAN

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Birkan,

There are many other factors that may figure into his side effects such as type of radiation (RT vs IMRT) and the path of radiation but GENERALLY a common side effect to his radiation is "dry mouth" and diminished taste especially right after radiation is completed. Again depending on those factors, most of us do recover a great deal of the saliva production and taste but it can take all of 2 years post Tx to recover as much as it will. For me it took a good 15 months before I was satisfied with my recovery. It's not 100% but if I had to guess I would say perhaps 90% back to normal.

Tell him to just be patient and see what happens. To my knowledge there is nothing that has proven to aid in the return of saliva or taste, otherwise we would all have used it.


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.
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My RO prescribed a drug Pilocarpine 3X per day. My saliva is returning pretty well. Don't know if the drug has helped or if it is just time.


DX 2/10/09; Stage 1 SCC side of tongue; Partial Gloss; PEG in 3/3/09; 3 Cisplatin; 35 IMRT; PEG out 7/17/09; Eating via mouth and walking 3 miles/day 4 wks after treatment end. 50 pound weight loss; Clear PET 09/09 and 09/10
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