The prosthodontist I am seeing as part of the cancer care team told me that my dentist should not use an ultrasonic scaler or do any manual scaling more than 2mm down. I asked him about the problems from plaque building up below to 2mm. He really put a scare in me, and said that if a dentist does lower it could result in my loosing my jaw. I assume this would be from infection. But I just spoke with an oral cancer survivor on the other coast who was told that deep scaling is important because periodontal disease is more dangerous for people like us, and scaling helps prevent this.

So now I'm very confused and worried.

I'd like to know what you were told about having your teeth scaled, and how deep they can be scaled. And/or any thoughts you have about the information I was given.


Squamous cell carcinoma base of tongue. Lymph involvement unclear; staging placed at "2 or 3." Biopsy 4/18/2008. Treatment: IMRT every day for 7 weeks. Cisplaten once a week to sensitize cancer to radiation. Treatment ended 7/16/08. PET/CT shows no more cancer.