Oral Diseases

Why You Should See Your Dentist Before Cancer Treatment

3 min read
Aug 02, 2024

Three Good Reasons to See a Dentist BEFORE Cancer Treatment*

Reason #1: To feel better

Your cancer treatment may be easier if you work with your dentist and hygienist. Make sure you have a pretreatment dental checkup.

Reason #2: To save your teeth and bones

A dentist will help protect your mouth, teeth, and jaw bones from damage caused by radiation and chemotherapy. Children also need special protection for their growing teeth and facial bones.

Reason #3: To fight cancer

Doctors may have to delay or stop your cancer treatment because of problems in your mouth. To fight cancer best, your cancer care team should include a dentist.

How to protect your mouth during cancer treatment

  1. Brush gently, brush often
    • Brush your teeth — and your tongue — gently with an extra-soft toothbrush.
    • If your mouth is very sore, soften the bristles in warm water.
    • Brush after every meal and at bedtime.
  2. Floss gently daily
    • Floss once a day to remove plaque.
    • If your gums bleed and hurt, avoid the areas that are bleeding or sore, but keep flossing your other teeth.
    • Rinse often with water.
    • Keep your mouth moist
  3. Don't use mouthwashes with alcohol in them
    • Use a saliva substitute to help moisten your mouth.
    • Choose soft, easy-to-chew foods.
  4. Eat and drink with care
    • Protect your mouth from spicy, sour, or crunchy foods.
    • Choose lukewarm foods and drinks instead of hot or icy-cold.
    • Avoid alcoholic drinks.
  5. If you smoke, try to quit
    • Ask your cancer care team to help you stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
    • People who quit smoking or chewing tobacco have fewer mouth problems.

When should you call your cancer care team about mouth problems?

Take a moment each day to check how your mouth looks and feels.

Call your cancer care team when:

  • You first notice a mouth problem
  • And old problem gets worse
  • You notice any changes you’re not sure about

Tips for relieving common mouth problems:

  • Sore mouth, sore throat: To help keep your mouth clean, rinse often with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Follow with a plain water rinse. Ask your cancer care team about medicines that can help with the pain.
  • Dry mouth: Rinse your mouth often with water, choose sugar-free gum or candy, and talk to your dentist about saliva substitutes.
  • Infections: Call your cancer care team right away if you see a sore, swelling, bleeding, or a sticky, white film in your mouth.
  • Eating problems: Your cancer care team can help by giving you medicines to numb the pain from mouth sores and showing you how to choose foods that are easy to swallow.
  • Bleeding: If your gums bleed or hurt, avoid flossing the areas that are bleeding or sore, but keep flossing other teeth. Soften the bristles of your toothbrush in warm water.
  • Stiffness in chewing muscles: Three times a day, open and close your mouth as far as you can without pain. Repeat 20 times.
  • Vomiting: Rinse your mouth after vomiting with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water.
  • Cavities: Brush your teeth after meals and before bedtime. Your dentist might have you put fluoride on your teeth to help prevent cavities.