The lining, or mucosa, of the gastrointestinal tract—which includes the inside of the mouth and throat—is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. Many chemotherapy drugs can inflame the lining, a condition called mucositis . Many drugs can also cause small ulcerations or sores to develop. Radiation delivered to the head and neck can irritate the lining and cause sores, too, and so can mouth or throat infections, especially fungus infections like monilia (thrush). All these can be very painful or at least uncomfortable.
If you are going to get over your mucositis, mouth care is very important. You will have to make sure your mouth stays clean and moist and that you eat the proper foods and get medication for any infections that develop.
Oral Hygiene A good oral hygienic program includes dental cleaning and scaling, followed by daily brushing and flossing to reduce plaque.
Any scaling, cleaning, tooth extractions or repair of cavities should be done before your cancer therapy begins. Extractions especially should be completed at least two weeks before therapy to give your mouth a chance to heal. Ill-fitting dentures should be fixed or replaced.
Before any dental work is to be performed, your blood counts should be checked to be sure that counts are adequate to take care of any possibility of infection or bleeding (low white cell counts can lead to infections and a low platelet count may lead to bleeding). So any periodontal or dental work has to be coordinated with your oncologist . If you have any mouth injury because of a dental procedure, antibiotics are certainly recommended.
