 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | Everyone with radiation to the mouth or even head and neck with xerostomia as a result will have many dental issues to manage for life. When back teeth are pulled it forces the chewing on teeth not designed for that. They end up moving as you chew and wear down at the gums (abfractions). The grooves keep getting deeper till the teeth break.
If the constant pain is in the teeth a toothpaste with potassium chloride such as Sensodyne can help. I never had trays and use Prevident with flouride and potassium. I was told that at 9 years my teeth were better than what they see with trays. All my teeth that weren't crowned wore down significantly during the 10th year.
And yes, nobody really follows this unless you do.
Ed
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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