National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute
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Oral Complications of Chemotherapy and Head/Neck Radiation (PDQ®)     
Last Modified: 11/06/2008
Health Professional Version
Posttransplantation Dental Treatment

Caution should be given relative to oral treatment for transplant patients for at least the first year posttransplant. Even though hematologic parameters including complete blood count and differential may be documented as within normal limits, functional abnormalities may still be present. Patients should not resume routine dental treatment, including dental scaling and polishing, until adequate immunologic reconstitution has occurred; this includes recovery from graft-versus-host disease. The aerosolization of debris and bacteria during the use of ultrasonic or high-speed rotary cutting instruments can put the patient at risk for aspiration pneumonia; additionally, bacteremias often occur as a result of dental treatment and their impact can be noticeable. Appropriate supportive care including antibiotics, immunoglobulin G administration, adjustment of steroid doses, and/or platelet transfusions should be comprehensively considered prior to invasive oral procedures.