Are you or someone you know going to start cancer treatment soon? Did you know that it is very important to have a dental check-up and take care of dental issues at least 2 weeks before treatment starts if possible? Read on for more details and call us today to make an appointment with Dr. Pham, your Chula Vista dentist. We would be happy to discuss how your oral health fits into your treatment and what we can do to prevent or alleviate potential problems.
The main reason to see Dr. Pham before starting cancer treatment is to begin your treatment with a healthy mouth. Cancer and cancer treatment require much energy from your immune system and of course you don’t want to add to the work by having a problem, possibly undetected, that weighs more heavily on those processes. In its most extreme form, a serious mouth problem can even delay or stop cancer treatment.
Another reason to schedule a check-up before cancer treatment is so that Dr. Pham can suggest techniques or procedures that can help protect your mouth, teeth and jaw bones from damage caused by head and neck radiation and chemotherapy.
Lastly, Dr. Pham can talk to you about your upcoming treatment and teach you to watch for signs of side effects. Many people don’t think about their mouth when they are being treated for cancers elsewhere in the body but cancer, no matter where it is in the body, can affect teeth, gums, salivary glands and other tissues in the mouth. If you are on the lookout for them, these side effects can be managed and alleviated.
Cancer treatment itself also often causes side effects that are felt in the mouth, including:
- dry mouth
- gum disease and bleeding gums
- jaw stiffness
- tooth decay
- mouth sores
- and burning or swollen tongue
As with side effects from the cancer itself, Dr. Pham can suggest ways to manage and alleviate these common treatment side effects.
Having a dentist alongside your treatment team will strengthen the treatment strategy and the energy of your journey back to health. Call Dr. Pham, your Chula Vista dentist, today at (619) 421-2155 to schedule your check up. We consider you our family and want to help in our own way with your recovery.
For more information about taking care of your mouth before or during cancer treatment Oral Health Care for Patients With Cancer on our website.