mouth tray during radiation

aluo1271
aluo1271 Member Posts: 25
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
It is an old topic but a good idea. Since there are several of us starting or just started radiation treatment, I think it would be useful.

http://csn.cancer.org/node/209200

I will ask my radiation onc whether I could put it on during radiation. See my problem is that I didn't have it put on during simulation and mask making process. Then I find it out that I should put it on... Having two extra pieces in mouth does change the position of my jar bones, not sure if it's tolerable by radiation plan. Anyway I am prepared to accept the answer "no" and deal with extra sore in tongue.

Comments

  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #2
    I have been struggling so
    I have been struggling so much on this question. I CANNOT understand why they do not make this a standard practice.

    First the dentist who evaluated me thought i need only upper tray, so they made one for me. Than my radiologist saw filling in one of the lower teeth and thought i shoud need one for bottom teeth too..so they made one of those boiling water plastic one for me. However my dentist thinks that is not safe! I have no idea who is right!

    What surprises me is that how come they dont have information on such simple thing!

    I would say push for using the mouth tray use even if that means starting radiation 2-3 days late.

    Sam
  • aluo1271
    aluo1271 Member Posts: 25
    #3
    Sam999 said:

    I have been struggling so
    I have been struggling so much on this question. I CANNOT understand why they do not make this a standard practice.

    First the dentist who evaluated me thought i need only upper tray, so they made one for me. Than my radiologist saw filling in one of the lower teeth and thought i shoud need one for bottom teeth too..so they made one of those boiling water plastic one for me. However my dentist thinks that is not safe! I have no idea who is right!

    What surprises me is that how come they dont have information on such simple thing!

    I would say push for using the mouth tray use even if that means starting radiation 2-3 days late.

    Sam

    Hi Sam, thanks for your
    Hi Sam, thanks for your suggestion. I will definitely push for it. I am glad your situation is slightly better, at least got most covered. On the safety of boiling water plastic, I guess my onc dentist would say the same thing - not safe. He threw away the fluoride tray made by my regular dentist and called it "baby stuff".

    On the frustration side, I totally share with you. I find the book "100 Questions & Answers About Head and Neck Cancer" quite informative. It has good coverage on frequently discussed topics here such as peg tube, mouth tray, common side effects and how to deal with them. The book was given to me a month ago but never got picked up until recently. It could at least have avoided some frustrations here.
  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #4
    aluo1271 said:

    Hi Sam, thanks for your
    Hi Sam, thanks for your suggestion. I will definitely push for it. I am glad your situation is slightly better, at least got most covered. On the safety of boiling water plastic, I guess my onc dentist would say the same thing - not safe. He threw away the fluoride tray made by my regular dentist and called it "baby stuff".

    On the frustration side, I totally share with you. I find the book "100 Questions & Answers About Head and Neck Cancer" quite informative. It has good coverage on frequently discussed topics here such as peg tube, mouth tray, common side effects and how to deal with them. The book was given to me a month ago but never got picked up until recently. It could at least have avoided some frustrations here.

    I was surprised too that everyone doesn't have mouth guards
    The dentist my radiation oncologist referred me to just made them routinely. Although now that I think of it, they have some disposable ones at the radiation center, I guess for people who don't have custom ones.

    I think it should be on the short list of things to ask about before you start treatment!

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