Dental and oral care during oncological treatment

Careful dental and oral care is important for the development and maintenance of healthy teeth in children. During oncological treatment, however, special attention must be paid to dental and oral care, as the oral cavity and teeth are more susceptible to infections and tooth decay during this time. This can result in fever and additional hospitalisation. For this reason, regular cleaning and care of the teeth as well as careful oral hygiene are necessary during the entire oncological treatment.

A diseased tooth can cause serious problems during oncological treatment. For this reason, a dental check-up is carried out at the start of treatment. If there are holes, the teeth must be treated in such a way that the oncological therapy can continue undisturbed.

• Brush your teeth 3 times a day for 2-3 minutes. Before and after brushing your teeth not Rinse with water.
• After each brushing, rinse the toothbrush, tap it out and place it upright in a tooth cup to dry.
• Use a soft manual toothbrush. It is recommended to change the toothbrush once a week or after one month at the latest. Do not use an electric toothbrush.
• Use toothpaste with fluoride and as neutral a pH value as possible. We recommend a mild children's toothpaste. Children under the age of 6 should always use a children's toothpaste with a reduced fluoride content.
• Deep platelets (thrombocytes) can cause bleeding gums. The teeth should therefore be brushed carefully. However, this is no reason to interrupt regular tooth cleaning!

Regular use of a tooth protection cream strengthens the tooth enamel and supplements the protective effect of saliva.

• Tooth protection cream
• Apply a hazelnut-sized portion of tooth protection cream to the teeth 3 times a day after brushing with your finger, toothbrush or a cotton bud.
• Leave on for a few minutes and then do not drink or eat for 30 minutes.

Care of the mouth and oral mucosa is particularly important during chemotherapy. Regular moisturising of the oral mucosa can reduce possible complications.

• Rinse mouth as often as possible, but at least 3 times a day with water (non-carbonated) or sweet orange essence (2-3 drops per glass of water) or camomile or peppermint tea
• Drinking unsweetened drinks frequently in small sips also keeps the oral mucosa moisturised.
• Daily checks of the oral cavity to recognise and treat problems at an early stage
• Keep dry lips supple with a lip balm

Drinks:

• Prefer unsweetened drinks
• Always rinse your mouth after acidic drinks (e.g. cola, fruit juices, iced tea)

Chewing gum:

• Chewing gum stimulates the flow of saliva and thus helps to reduce acids in the mouth.
• Only use chewing gum that is gentle on your teeth.
• Chewing gum is only suitable for children over the age of 4!

The side effects of chemotherapy can cause symptoms such as dry mouth, changes in taste or inflammation of the oral mucosa. Inflammation of the oral mucosa is characterised by reddened and/or open areas, ulcers, pain and difficulty swallowing. If you have difficulty swallowing, it is possible to make ice lollies with the desired flavour (e.g. iced tea, apple juice). Please contact us if required.