Mouth complications related to cancer treatment
 Each
year about 400,000 people (including many in the Chicago, The Loop and Gold Coast areas) with cancer develop treatment-related
complications in the mouth ranging from lesions to chronic dry mouth to
bone disintegration. If serious, these complications can be life
threatening. While many are unavoidable, some can be prevented or
minimized by Dr. Delfs.
Dr. Delfs recommends that prior to radiation or
chemotherapy a comprehensive pre-therapy dental evaluation with a full
set of mouth x-rays should be performed. Any decay, gum
disease and abscesses should be treated, if time permits, prior to
chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Since chemotherapy can
compromise the immune condition, even patients who have no pain or
dental disorders need a thorough cleaning. This will eliminate excess
bacteria that can lead to more serious systemic infections. Our goal at
University Associates in Dentistry is to have the patient's mouth in optimal health prior
to beginning anti-cancer therapy.
If you have questions regarding cancer treatment and your
dental health,
please call our office at (312) 704-5511.
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