How Are Your Teeth?

MKenney

Teeth breaking

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008.   I had Herceptin treatments as well as chemo.  I always had good teeth.  Since treatment I have had three teeth break.  It started happening about three years ago, so several years since I have had treatment.  I'm trying to understand why this is happening and I started wondering it if could be related to the treatment that I received.  Wondering if others have had these issues.  I am currently 54.

Mattie65

I have a question in this

I have a question in this thread. Is the main issue with tooth decay the loss of saliva or the fact that teeth themselves were damaged by radiation?

I'm heading towards the end of my rad sessions and have, at least during the day, still a good deal of saliva in my mouth. I do have a dry mouth at night, specially in the morning, but saliva comes back quite quickly as soon as I'm up. I'm in good hope that it may stay that way until my treatment is finished. Will I still be highly endangered of losing my teeth?

Logan51

Answer: Both

The Rads destroy the enamel, and saliva ends-up struggling to help clean the teeth. I've had 2 root canals and 3 new Crowns since tx, and the tops of 12 teeth rebuilt- several more than once. My front lowers? I can see the inside of the teeth. I've also lost parts of teeth that had fillings in them. Have not had any teeth crack or pulled, though, but I started tx with 6 Crowns and a Bridge, plus 3 gaps where teeth were and I never bothered to get an implant or whatever.

 

Mattie65

Logan51 said:

Answer: Both

The Rads destroy the enamel, and saliva ends-up struggling to help clean the teeth. I've had 2 root canals and 3 new Crowns since tx, and the tops of 12 teeth rebuilt- several more than once. My front lowers? I can see the inside of the teeth. I've also lost parts of teeth that had fillings in them. Have not had any teeth crack or pulled, though, but I started tx with 6 Crowns and a Bridge, plus 3 gaps where teeth were and I never bothered to get an implant or whatever.

 

Hmmm, okay.

I see. That's helpful. Is the destruction of the enamel progressively taking place after the rads are finished? Because at the moment, I can't see any big difference to the outside of my teeth. They look quite the same as they were before.

I have quite a number of fillings, crowns, 4 implants, but all in the molars. My front teeth are fine, except for one that was chipped in younger years, by mishandling a microphone.