Fluoride Trays

christine2080

I just spoke with my husband‘s dentist about fluoride trays. He said that in theory they are a good idea, but in practice they are not.He said it is not a good idea to leave fluoride on your teeth for that long. Also, since we now have fluoride in our water and toothpaste and mouth rinses it is not necessary. He suggested using a fluoride rinse at night before going to bed.

swopoe

How long did the dentist say

How long did the dentist say was too long to leave fluoride on your teeth? My husband has been using fluoride trays before bed for a long while now.

ByeByeCancer

My husband's dentist recommended

Act Total Care Dry Mouth mouthwash.  Says it has flouride but no alcohol.  I was surprised our dentist said no to the flouride trays too since so many people have used them.  So,my husband uses the mouthwash several times a day.

christine2080

ByeByeCancer said:

My husband's dentist recommended

Act Total Care Dry Mouth mouthwash.  Says it has flouride but no alcohol.  I was surprised our dentist said no to the flouride trays too since so many people have used them.  So,my husband uses the mouthwash several times a day.

That’s one of the mouth

That’s one of the mouth rinses our dentist recommended. He also mentioned Reach.

christine2080

swopoe said:

How long did the dentist say

How long did the dentist say was too long to leave fluoride on your teeth? My husband has been using fluoride trays before bed for a long while now.

Sorry, I didn’t ask how long

Sorry, I didn’t ask how long was too long. We were discussing wearing them overnight.

Mavish

I am surprised

I am suprized to hear something against floride trays. I am seeing a dentist in the cancer centre, who sees only H&N cancer patients. I was refered to the clinic before started the treatment and trained on why an how sould Inuae thw trays  and advised to use them life long. I use 1% NaF gel with trays and keep them 5 minutes. 

 

 

Sprint Car Dude

Trays

I still use my Floride trays for 10-20 minutes before I go to bed at night. My water supplier does not have the added flouride. I am almost to point where I really think I am producing enough saliva that I may stop using them. I still can not handle any kind of mouth wash. I am 11 months out of treatment. I do use Biotene rinse every now and then. I am not exactly sure what is in mouth wash but it burns the living crap out my mouth. Good Luck.

swopoe

Mavish said:

I am surprised

I am suprized to hear something against floride trays. I am seeing a dentist in the cancer centre, who sees only H&N cancer patients. I was refered to the clinic before started the treatment and trained on why an how sould Inuae thw trays  and advised to use them life long. I use 1% NaF gel with trays and keep them 5 minutes. 

 

 

Yes, my husband only wears

Yes, my husband only wears them for 5 minutes each night too.

Mavish

Only mouth was it was advised

Only mouth was it was advised in my hospital is bakin soda or baking soda salt water rinse. They are not advising any commercial moth washes.

OKCnative

Two dentists I see strongly

Two dentists I see strongly recommended fluoride trays. However, they recommended only wearing them for 10-20 minutes and suggested putting them in before getting in the shower and then taking them out after the shower and while I'm getting ready in the bathroom.

Question: What are you all paying for fluoride trays? My primary dentist at the time (I've since stoped using him), wanted $325 for a set of trays. Another dentist told me they do them free to regular patients and for about $75 for non-patients. I decided to switch dentists and they gave me three sets for free.

Kenny-

Floride Trays

My dentist, and radiologist recommended flouride trays after treatment to protect teeth. I use them on and off, not too vigourously. Probably 2 times a week. That said, my teeth is has been wearing out quickly (I had no issues at all before radiotherapy), so I think flouride should help if I kept on using them. 

I paid about $200 for the first pair, and $70 for the next pair as I lost it. I didn't realize you can get them for free! Looks like I also need to find a new dentist. 

 

MarineE5

Usually the Hot Topic with us

To Tray or Not to Tray, that is the question. I would guess that most of us here traveling this path have been told that we need to use Flouride Trays or Gels for the rest of our lives if we wish to keep our teeth. I am one of those that were given a choice of having all my remaining teeth removed, or take good care of what I had. I chose to keep my teeth and was able to have the Insurance pay for my costly trays back in 2004.

I used the Trays for roughly 5 years before I switched Dentist. The new Dentist stated that I didn't need to use the Trays, but I still needed to do my Flouride Treatments daily. He ordered me a different type of  Flouride Gel to use instead. I still do this routine daily and like above, brush the Flouride on my teeth before taking a shower. After spitting out excess Flouride after a minute, I don't rinse my mouth for 30 minutes. This routiine has allowed me to keep my teeth with minimal issues. I have cracked 2 teeth by eating some hard candy many years ago, learned a hard lesson there. Got them capped, also had 2 cavities along the way. 

Another choice you might try if you can't get the Trays for free is a suggestion from a person here a long time ago, sorry I forget his name now. Go to a Sporting Goods store and buy a set of the mouth guards. He warmed them in some water so he could fit them to his teeth and stated that they lasted over 6 months each time and a lot less expensive.

My Best to Everyone Here

Mulligan

Trays

I used them for about a year.  Mine cost around $200.  I was told by my radiation oncologist to leave them in for as long as I could stand, at least 20 minutes, and then spit but don't rinse before sleeping, every night for the rest of my life.  I saw no real remineralization of my teeth in that year of pretty religious use.  My teeth were just as chalky as they had been at the end of my radiation.  Pieces would break off while gently chewing the "saliva stimulating" gum he told me to use.  I think my biggest problem was (and stiill is) lack of saliva.  Saliva is the source of the calcium and phosphate that remineralize teeth.  No amount of flouride will solve the problem, and in the case of my trays, and the immutable "no-rinse" instruction, made my mouth even drier.  I use prescription toothpaste, use one of the above-mentioned flouride rinses, chew Xylitol gum (gingerly) and spend every waking moment trying to will myself to salivate.  My teeth are a bit better as of now, but nothing like they were pre-cancer.  I'm not a doctor, YMMV.  I'm not advocating that people ignore their heathcare professional's best advice, I'm just saying this is what I do, right or wrong.  I still have all my teeth for what little it's worth.

MarineE5

Mulligan said:

Trays

I used them for about a year.  Mine cost around $200.  I was told by my radiation oncologist to leave them in for as long as I could stand, at least 20 minutes, and then spit but don't rinse before sleeping, every night for the rest of my life.  I saw no real remineralization of my teeth in that year of pretty religious use.  My teeth were just as chalky as they had been at the end of my radiation.  Pieces would break off while gently chewing the "saliva stimulating" gum he told me to use.  I think my biggest problem was (and stiill is) lack of saliva.  Saliva is the source of the calcium and phosphate that remineralize teeth.  No amount of flouride will solve the problem, and in the case of my trays, and the immutable "no-rinse" instruction, made my mouth even drier.  I use prescription toothpaste, use one of the above-mentioned flouride rinses, chew Xylitol gum (gingerly) and spend every waking moment trying to will myself to salivate.  My teeth are a bit better as of now, but nothing like they were pre-cancer.  I'm not a doctor, YMMV.  I'm not advocating that people ignore their heathcare professional's best advice, I'm just saying this is what I do, right or wrong.  I still have all my teeth for what little it's worth.

No Saliva

Mulligan, 

I too am a member of the "No Saliva" group, haven't had any since I finished Radiation in  Jan. 2005. I even tried Accupuncture to revive the glands but zero results, had a runny nose for a week though. 

Each person reacts to treatments differently and we do the best we can with what we have. 

My Best to Everyone Here

tommyodavey

Mavish said:

I am surprised

I am suprized to hear something against floride trays. I am seeing a dentist in the cancer centre, who sees only H&N cancer patients. I was refered to the clinic before started the treatment and trained on why an how sould Inuae thw trays  and advised to use them life long. I use 1% NaF gel with trays and keep them 5 minutes. 

 

 

Per the Professional

I am with Mavis on this subject.  My Oral Surgeon is part of my cancer team and recommends leaving the trays in for 5 minutes just before bed and after flossing and brushing.  Any longer doesn't do any good.  Why take a chance with radiation ruining your teeth?  I questioned it four years into using them and they still stand their ground on the efficacy of using Fluoride Gel.  He sells me Gel-Kam .4% Stable Stannous Fluoride.  The only drawback is it leaves some staining, same as coffee does.  My hygenist isn't thrilled with it but they're my teeth and I'm keeping them.  So far I've lost none.

 

armana

PreviDent 5000 Plus

I use the above gel evry night before going to bed. I 1st Brush with regular toothpaste and rinse my mouth.

I then Brush with the gel and spit it out but do not rinse my mouth.  I have been doing this for 3 years since I finished radiation and

have had no problems with my teeth up to this point

OKCnative

I never lost my saliva but I

I never lost my saliva but I do occasionally experience dry mouth at night if i sleep with my mouth open. The dry mouth is your biggest danger to your teeth. To combat this I use a Honeywell room humidifier on my nightstand next to my side of the bed every night. If the dry mouth is serious then I pop in a XyliMelt and the problem is solved for the night.

I also use Biotene type non-foaming toothpaste and a WaterPik.