I don't know if many cancer centers make a mouth stent to use during radiation. MD Anderson makes a hard plastic mold to keep your mouth open and set in a certain position. As radiation proceeded my husband had great difficulty getting the stent in and not gaging after it was in, as it holds the tongue down. Our son had a great idea to use a small soup thermos with heated water. It not only got rid of the chemical taste of the solution the stent is kept in, but the warm water made it more pliable and easier to insert. An idea

My husband had a mesh mask very similar to a fencing mask with the exception being that it covered most of his head, neck,down unto his shoulders and resting on his chest. This was screwed down to a table. Then radiation was given. On one mold I noticed the eyes were cut out, most were not cut out. I assumed everyone wore a mask similar to this one. Carol...

I am not saying he did not have the mesh mask that was clamped to the table for the radiation. Rather they also have a stent in the mouth along with the mask. If possible it was more uncomfortable, but was to hold the mouth in a certain position and protect the teeth from the radiation.

Just saying ..No stent here. PMH in Toronto...Carol..

No stent here but I wonder if it would have helped me to have one.

D C S

I had the mouthpiece and had to give it up for the last few (5) treatments. I just couldn't get my mouth open enough to put it in, and when I did it gagged me which was not going to work being under that mask.

Looking back the worst experience I had with the mouth piece was one Monday after one of the tech's had it soaking in Listerine all weekend to kill the germs.... Whoa buddy, talk about burn!

Kevin

I had a stent that covered my teeth and tongue to protect the tongue from getting burnt too badly. I unfortunately didn't get it until 10th radiation treatment so tongue already fried pretty badly. It was tough to keep from gagging but I had no chemo and radiation sessions only lasted about 5 minutes.

Eileen