Michelle, I had two teeth pulled prior to radiation because I had periodontal disease there and they would have had to be pulled anyway eventually. They weren't abcessed or anything and I healed fast but my dentist and the radiation oncologist still felt I needed 3 weeks to heal from the time the teeth were pulled to the first day of radiation. They can't do the Xray or the CT for the radaition plan until she has her tooth pulled because having a gap there affects the radiation plan.

As for the flouride trays, as my mouth got sensitive to just about anything during radiation, I stopped doing the flouride trays because it burned my mouth. But I'm back to doing them now and know I'll have to do them for the rest of my life.......

You didn't mention if they are recommneding chemo for your mother. If they are, I'd strongly recommend she get a PEG tube while she's wiating for adiation to start since this can be a real lifesaver if the chemo and radiaiton combined make her mouth too sore to eat.