Dental care during chemo very important
Sadly a friend of mine is having serious dental problems post chemo so I thought I would let any of you having chemo at the moment know that the dental advice we get during chemo is for a very good reason. Apparently when the white blood cell count is low the body cannot react to some infections and we can be totally unaware that there is a problem. Here is what I was told. Please add more tips if you know more!
- Brush after every meal with a soft toothbrush
- Use gentle mouthwashes to avoid ulcers
- Drink often to avoid a dry mouth (less saliva means less natural cleaning action)
- Avoid chewing gum for extended periods of time as this encourages continued chewing action during the night which stresses the teeth
- Avoid sugary drinks, crisps and any food that sticks to the teeth if you cannot brush your teeth right after a meal for some reason.
Take care!
Hugs
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen. By sharing this post, you did a kind job to all people who are suffering from terrible disease of cancer. My maternal aunt is also suffering from cancer and undergoing chemo therapy these days. She also used to complain about dental issues to our family dentist Manhattan Beach. I am going to bookmark your post to discuss with dentist.