See a Dentist Before Cancer Treatment
This illustrated booklet, designed for adults with very limited reading skills, offers instruction on how to care for the mouth before and during cancer treatment. Simple stick-figure sketches, called pictographs, demonstrate steps patients can take to prevent or manage the painful mouth problems cancer treatments can cause. Included are self-care tips to help ease the discomfort of oral complications and advice on when to call the cancer team if mouth problems arise.
1 -- Fight Cancer
Your cancer team should include a dentist. |
2 -- Save Your Teeth and Bones
Children also need protection. |
3 -- Feel Better
Make sure you have a dental check up before your first cancer treatment. |
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- Soak an extra-soft toothbrush in warm water to make it softer.
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- Brush your teeth and tongue gently.
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- Sip water and use a saliva substitute to keep your mouth moist.
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Sore Mouth, Sore Throat
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Dry Mouth
- Talk to your dentist about saliva substitutes.
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Eating Problems
- Ask for medicine to numb the pain.
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Stiff Chewing Muscles
- Three times a day, open and close your mouth as far as you can without pain. Repeat 20 times.
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Vomiting
- Rinse your mouth after vomiting. Use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water.
- Don't swallow.
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Cavities
- Ask your dentist to put fluoride on your teeth to help prevent cavities.
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Check your mouth every day.
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Acknowledgements
The individuals listed here provided assistance in developing, reviewing, and field testing this campaign publication. The campaign sponsors would like to thank them for their contributions.
Peter Houts, Ph.D
The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center
Baltimore, MD
Gail Helland, RN
Southwest Washington Medical Center
Vancouver, WA
Salvation Army, SE Corps
Washington, DC
This information is part of a series on managing and preventing oral complications of cancer treatment. The series was developed in partnership with the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Nursing Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Friends of the NIDCR.
Other publications in this series include:
For Health Professionals
For Patients
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This information is not copyrighted. Print and make as many photocopies as you need.
NIH Publication No. 06-5172