hello everyone!

my mom just finished her 18th fraction of IMRT today. she has 12 more to go. her last day of radiation is christmas eve.

she's getting treated in korea, and dental care during and after radiation cancer treatment isn't a big thing here. i had to fight a war to get her fitted with fluoride trays for her teeth, which were ready yesteryday. i am very glad to be starting her on protecting her teeth from the effects of radiation. thank god for this forum. i am getting most of my information from these amazing forums.

one problem, is that the only kind of fluoride gel we can get here in korea, is "1.23% fluoride ion". this is used every once or twice a year, by children, to prevent cavities.

there is no 1.1% sodium fluoride gel, which is what everyone in the states is getting for the trays. and i can't get it shipped here from the states, because i need a prescription to get it in the first place.

has anyone ever heard of using 1.23% fluoride ion gel, for their daily trays?

it's called "60 second", and the label says: "APF Topical Fluoride Gel. 1.23% fluoride ion from sodium fluoride and hydrofluoric acid. Optimized low pH for a complete fluoride treatment in 60 seconds."

i would appreciate any help... any dentists on this forum? would it be possible for anyone to ask their cancer dentist if this gel is ok to use everyday, and how many minutes...? :-?

i am anxious for my mom to start protecting her teeth.... 2 weeks into radiation, her gold caps and fillings started chipping and peeling off.

soo.

Soo,

I found this on the Web. maybe this will help. It sounds like what you have may be OK but let's hope Jerry or Brian comment.

Fluoride treatments are designed to provide an appropriate concentration of fluoride at a pH level that will help the correct amount of fluoride deposit on the teeth. If the fluoride level is too low the treatment will not be effective; if it is too high the patients might accidentally be poisoned. In the United States, laws have been created to ensure that these products are safe and efficacious. The FDA regulates them as either over-the-counter (OTC) drugs or as professional products for use by dentists. In addition, the FDA limits the size of commercially available products to reduce the possibility of accidental overdose. Finally, the organization determines labeling requirements for all commercial products and some aspects of professional ones. These requirements most be taken into consideration when designing fluoride treatments.

OTC fluoride-containing drugs include toothpaste and mouth rinse. Professional products are more concentrated and may be applied either as a gel, foam, or liquid. They may be designed to be applied using plastic trays that fit around the teeth. Depending on the type of product being formulated, the development chemist can choose from several types of FDA approved actives. Once again, these regulatory factors must be considered in product design.

Key examples of treatment formulations are: acidulated phosphate fluoride gel with 1.23% fluoride ion at pH 3.5, designed to flow easily during tray placement yet thickens during treatment so it does not drip down the patient's throat; sodium fluoride gel with 2% fluoride ion at pH 7.0, for use when etching of porcelain restorations is a concern; stannous fluoride liquid rinse with 0.63% fluoride ion, designed to prevent decay, reduce plaque accumulation, and help reduce gingival inflammation and bleeding; APF fluoride foam with 1.23% fluoride ion at pH 3-4.25, designed as an easy to use non-aerosol foam that reduces accidental ingestion by the patient.

As a coincidence I had a dentist appt this am and asked my dentist about the 1.23 Ion and he said it's really meant for kids as the acid etches their teeth and allows the fluoride to bond better but he does not recommend it long term for adults as it will etch the tops of your teeth and damage the enamel. He also said that with the etching will come the possibility of staining. He did say despite all this it is better than nothing for your circumstances.

I also sent you a PM.

We purchased Colgate GelKam on Amazon.com. Active Ingredients: Stannous Fluoride 0.4% (W/W)

We use this with disposable fluoride trays. We are waiting to get out of the active chemo and radiation copays to get the perm ones made...

I don't know if they ship to Korea, but you can try! :o)

Brenda

I also use the GelKam. It is non prescription and according to my prosthodontist is better than the 1.1 sodium fluoride. You want he fruit and bwerry flavor, the mint will be too spicy and burn.

Take care,
Eileen

I found the GelKam, (fruit flavour), to make my teeth sting. I presume it's not pH neutral. You may not have this issue, but if you do, you're not alone. My favourite fluoride gel product is the PCXX made in Canada (I've only used the no-flavour version and recommend it). This page includes a list of Canadian and US distributors. It is not a prescription item in Canada, but I don't know if any of these distributors will ship overseas, or at what cost:

http://www.epsross.com/PCxx.entry.htm

It's a great product, though.

I'm in London, England now and haven't managed to find a way to get this, but I've since been prescribed a different product here (which I haven't tried yet).

Good luck.

-Seth

Be careful with the Stannos Fluoride as it also can cause staining as many on this site have complained about it. My dentist prefers a neutral PH like the sodium.

hello everyone,

yes, stannous fluoride can stain your teeth over time... i did a search for each type of fluoride david listed above to learn more about them and many people complan about the staining. trying to remove the stains and whiten your teeth afterwards may pose problems too... whitening treatments seem to increase the chance of cavities.

and i learned that the 1.23% APF fluoride ion leave etches over porcelain over time. :-/

someone has been incredibly kind to procure me a tube of 1.1% neutral sodium fluoride. i can't wait to get it!

i will still have to somehow find a way to get my mom a regular supply for the future, but for now, this one tube is a life-saver!!!

soo.

If it works then we can do this forever.

Seth, I visited that link. Very interesting stuff and I'd like to try it out. I note that the distributors mentioned there seem to be dental supply houses. Were you able to get them to sell to you (especially in the bulk quantities they list)? Or did you find another way to get their stuff?

I remember trying to get one of the skin care products I needed during radiation from a professional supply place and striking out. Curious how you were able to pull it off!

Thanks.
David 2