Tooth loss

wemo69
wemo69 Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Has anyone had tooth loss because of radiation therapy? I was having the worst pain in my life about 3 to 4 weeks after receaving rad. So they put me on all kinds of pain meds. for what I thought was headaches. then the enamel started coming off my teeth, then one of my molers broke off at the gums.I went back to my dentist that the oncologist refered me to and he said this is what happens and I receaved no ferther help from him. My fiancee contacted cancer action in our area and they refered me to a dental collage, they said that I should have had the floride gel and trays. I had never herd of that, but now I see that it is the norm on all of the web sites that I have looked at. Now I have lost all of my teeth. Sorry about the crappy spelling. I was just wondering if this had happend to any one else.

Comments

  • phattpig
    phattpig Member Posts: 29
    #2
    Hello, my radiologist sent me to an oral surgeon before I started my treatments to have all of my teeth pulled. He told me that the radiation would destroy my teeth, and that it would be easier to have them pulled before, so now I am toothless, too.
  • leecat
    leecat Member Posts: 31
    #3
    I have the same problem. I haven't lost my teeth yet but I do go to the dentist all the time it seems like. I have to use the floride
    gel and have had the trays made. Right now it seems like things have calmed down with my teeth. I'm 11 years out of cancer of the tongue.Would like to talk more to you.
    leecat
  • garyr
    garyr Member Posts: 27
    #4
    Hi, I am about 21/2 years out from radiation and still have most of my teeth. Before they started anything, they sent me to a dentist to have my teeth evaluated. He said that 2 teeth my cause me a problem after radiation and that one tooth would have nothing to chew against so when I had my surgery for the cancer, they pulled the three teeth. The dentist also made up trays for the gel cam. I have used it every night since radiation and have not had any problems with my teeth.
    I think your oncologist should have done the same thing.
    GaryR
  • phattpig
    phattpig Member Posts: 29
    #5
    garyr said:

    Hi, I am about 21/2 years out from radiation and still have most of my teeth. Before they started anything, they sent me to a dentist to have my teeth evaluated. He said that 2 teeth my cause me a problem after radiation and that one tooth would have nothing to chew against so when I had my surgery for the cancer, they pulled the three teeth. The dentist also made up trays for the gel cam. I have used it every night since radiation and have not had any problems with my teeth.
    I think your oncologist should have done the same thing.
    GaryR

    Well as much as I hate to admit it, I didn't take very good care of my teeth before, so they were in pretty bad shape. That was the reason for having them pulled before I started radiation, be cause they would have been too damaged to work on after the radiation.One thing I have learned, is take care of your teeth. Too late for me, but maybe not for someone else.
  • wemo69
    wemo69 Member Posts: 6
    #6
    phattpig said:

    Well as much as I hate to admit it, I didn't take very good care of my teeth before, so they were in pretty bad shape. That was the reason for having them pulled before I started radiation, be cause they would have been too damaged to work on after the radiation.One thing I have learned, is take care of your teeth. Too late for me, but maybe not for someone else.

    Hey man, how are you ? I read your page hellava way to diet, LOL. I too went from 165 to 115 I thought I was going to just shrivel up an die. My cancer was allso on the base of my tounge. P.S. Haveya thought about changing our screen name. Type atcha later. Monty (wemo69)
  • leecat
    leecat Member Posts: 31
    #7
    Yes, I've had teeth problems ever since radiation treatment. Even when I use the floride treatments nothing seems to help
    My teeth just keep on brakeing off. But, I'm
    glad that I kept them.

Discussion Boards