According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 650,000 people undergo chemotherapy annually in the United States. Chemotherapy is sometimes referred to as a “cocktail” of strong drugs designed to kill cancer cells and save your life, but unfortunately, because drugs cannot discriminate between cancer cells and healthy cells, chemo kills healthy cells, too. When healthy cells are killed or damaged in your mouth, it can cause numerous problems. Today, we discuss how you can help avoid or alleviate those problems.
Keeping Your Mouth Healthy During Chemotherapy
There are several steps you can take to help keep your mouth healthy while undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The first step is to visit your dentist before your cancer treatment begins, then follow these tips:
- Check your mouth daily for sores or other changes.
- Keep your mouth moist by doing the following:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Suck on ice chips.
- Chew sugarless gum.
- Suck on sugar-free hard candy.
- Use a saliva substitute.
- Keep your mouth clean by doing the following:
- Brush your teeth, gums, and tongue after every meal and at bedtime using an extra-soft
- Use a fluoride toothpaste.
- Strictly avoid using mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
- Gently floss once a day. Avoid the areas that are bleeding or sore.
- Using a solution of ¼ teaspoon salt, or 1 teaspoon baking soda, in 8 ounces of warm water, rinse your mouth several times a day. Then follow it with a plain water rinse.
- Bring ill-fitting dentures to the attention of your dentist.
CALL JUST WRIGHT DENTAL IN CORSICANA, TX, TODAY!
At Just Wright Dental, our priority is ensuring that every visit is a comfortable and friendly experience, and that all of our patients understand every stage of their diagnosis, planning, and treatment. To find out what a difference our patient-centered approach can make, schedule your consultation with Dr. Justin Wright and our team by calling our dental office in Corsicana, TX, today at (903) 225-2221. We also proudly welcome patients from Navarro County, TX, and the surrounding communities, including Corsicana, Mildred, Eureka, Ennis, Fairfield, Teague, Blooming Grove, Dawson, Hubbard, Hillsboro, Mexia, Groesbeck, Kerens, Malakoff, Rice, Centerville, Buffalo, and Athens.