plaque film on teeth

lindab4
lindab4 Member Posts: 8
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi

I have had surgury, chemo, and radiation. The treatments were finished a month ago. I wake every day with sticky plaque film covering my teeth and interior of my mouth. I am very concerned about the damage this must be causing to my teeth, gums, and jawbone. Does anyone have any advice for controlling this and possibly preventing it? Thanks so much.
I was diagnosed Jan. 27, 2011 with base of tongue cancer which was Stage 2 and it had metastisized to my lymph nodes on one side of my neck. I had no symptoms and had a lump the size of a walnut that seemed to just appear one day!! The lymph nodes proved to be Stage 4!!!! The primary was the base of tongue. Any help about anything would be appreciated. I am really concerned about the plaque because I am afraid of developing cancer in my jawbone because it is always covering my teeth. The surgury removed the tumor on the base of my tongue and 38 lymph nodes (all of them) on the neck. There was cancer in 5 of the lymph
nodes.

Thank you in advance.
Linda

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Linda

    Have you tried washing your mouth with baking soda or some of the other rinses at night before going to bed. Sometime thick mucus forms in our mouth at night while sleeping. I also use a stuff call NeidMed sinus rinse; I use it two or three times a day. Really keeps my sinus and mouth clean.

    Wishing you the best
    Hondo
  • lindab4
    lindab4 Member Posts: 8
    #3
    Hondo said:

    Hi Linda

    Have you tried washing your mouth with baking soda or some of the other rinses at night before going to bed. Sometime thick mucus forms in our mouth at night while sleeping. I also use a stuff call NeidMed sinus rinse; I use it two or three times a day. Really keeps my sinus and mouth clean.

    Wishing you the best
    Hondo

    plaque
    Thanks, Hondo, I was just reading a post about how much pain you have and using a heating pad to fall asleep.

    I was so pleased to see someone had replied and it was YOU!
    I will definitely try the baking soda and see if it will help. NeidMed I will check into.
    I really appreciate you caring enough to respond and you have my sympathy for the pain you are in.
    Cancer is so awful.

    Linda
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #4
    Hi Linda
    Hi Linda

    Welcome to the 'club' as it were. I use all the Biotene mouth products to help keep my mouth moist at night - all of them contain enzymes which are supposed to be beneficial. There is a mouth rinse, a mouth gel, a mouth spray, and toothpaste. To help protect my teeth I use a fluoride toothpaste, called Prevident, and a gel fluoride treatment also made by Prevident. Your dentist may be able to make more recommendations about how best to protect your teeth.

    Deb
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
    Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide
    Was my rinse and spit solution, similar to like what HONDO mentioned....night always tends to be worse. Partly that our salivary function slows during that time. So with it being reduced already, it tends to be pretty much non-existant at night.

    Best,
    John
  • lindab4
    lindab4 Member Posts: 8
    #6
    Skiffin16 said:

    Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide
    Was my rinse and spit solution, similar to like what HONDO mentioned....night always tends to be worse. Partly that our salivary function slows during that time. So with it being reduced already, it tends to be pretty much non-existant at night.

    Best,
    John

    Mouth Rinse at Night
    Hi, John

    Pretty impressive fish there!!
    Could you tell me about how much baking soda and how much peroxide to use? Do you make it just for the night. Or do you make it in bigger quantity than just for one night?

    Thank you

    Linda
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #7
    lindab4 said:

    Mouth Rinse at Night
    Hi, John

    Pretty impressive fish there!!
    Could you tell me about how much baking soda and how much peroxide to use? Do you make it just for the night. Or do you make it in bigger quantity than just for one night?

    Thank you

    Linda

    Twice per day
    I use the baking soda in the morning and a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water at night or whenever it gets really bad. If you have just finished treatment the peroxide may be too harsh so be careful. It also helps break loose that big "clump" of mucus that gets stuck in my throat every evening since the whole area is dry.
  • MJ70
    MJ70 Member Posts: 75
    #8
    Hondo said:

    Hi Linda

    Have you tried washing your mouth with baking soda or some of the other rinses at night before going to bed. Sometime thick mucus forms in our mouth at night while sleeping. I also use a stuff call NeidMed sinus rinse; I use it two or three times a day. Really keeps my sinus and mouth clean.

    Wishing you the best
    Hondo

    mouth washes...
    Hi Hondo: Been a very long time checking in but will try NeidMed...I have tried them all it seems...Act has a new fluoride/dry mouth one out which i have used...seems okay... I searched for stopper 4 and found a good deal on Drugstore.com ...If you buy four of them it is free freight ...Same price for four oz of stopper four versus one oz of Biotene mouth spray or half oz for oasis spray...and i like "Stopper four which you brought up many months ago that you used......Mel
  • MJ70
    MJ70 Member Posts: 75
    #9
    mouth washes /Linda
    Hi Linda:

    I am seven years out with a similar cancer.. I have used many mouths washes and they all help me somewhat.. You definitely have a new normal as they say...Phelm/ dry mouth/Phaque are my new normals.. I use Floride Jell mouth wash i get from my Dentist which is a must...If your Salivary glands are damaged you need floride...I did not use it as told at first and found a $2000 plus dental bill from cavities was all i needed to get me in the habit..Also I gargle with Soda Water.which helps my swallowing..I do like stopper four dry mouth spray Hondo reconmended and I get that from drugstore.com,,, Biotene, Oasis and anything else out there helps...I find that my dry, parched , mouth is the worst late afternoon..Thats when i have a couple Handcrafted beers and that makes it moist before my dinner. Surprising my mouth feels the best from Midnight on..and then a new day.. Lots of new normals..It does get better or maybe we just get use to it...Mel
  • MJ70
    MJ70 Member Posts: 75
    #10
    mouth washes /Linda
    Hi Linda:

    I am seven years out with a similar cancer.. I have used many mouths washes and they all help me somewhat.. You definitely have a new normal as they say...Phelm/ dry mouth/Phaque are my new normals.. I use Floride Jell mouth wash i get from my Dentist which is a must...If your Salivary glands are damaged you need floride...I did not use it as told at first and found a $2000 plus dental bill from cavities was all i needed to get me in the habit..Also I gargle with Soda Water.which helps my swallowing..I do like stopper four dry mouth spray Hondo reconmended and I get that from drugstore.com,,, Biotene, Oasis and anything else out there helps...I find that my dry, parched , mouth is the worst late afternoon..Thats when i have a couple Handcrafted beers and that makes it moist before my dinner. Surprising my mouth feels the best from Midnight on..and then a new day.. Lots of new normals..It does get better or maybe we just get use to it...Mel
  • MJ70
    MJ70 Member Posts: 75
    #11
    mouth washes /Linda
    Hi Linda: I am seven years out with a similar cancer.. I have used many mouths washes and they all help me somewhat.. You definitely have a new normal as they say...Phelm/ dry mouth/Phaque are my new normals.. I use Floride Jell mouth wash i get from my Dentist which is a must...If your Salivary glands are damaged you need floride...I did not at first and found a $2000 plus dental bill from cavities was all i needed to get me in the habit..Also I gargle with Soda Water.which helps my swallowing..I do like stopper four dry mouth spray Hondo reconmended and i get that from drugstore.com,,, Biotene, Oasis and anything else out there helps...I find that my dry, parched , mouth is the worst late afternoon..Thats when i have a couple Handcrafted beers and that makes it moist before my dinner..Lots of new normals..It does get better or maybe we just get use to it...Mel
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #12
    Care with the teeth
    Linda,

    If you have lack of saliva, the missing enzymes with potentiually causee premature damage to your teeth.

    I floss 1 - 2 times per day and bruh frequently with a Sonic Electric Toothbrush and use 'ProNamel' by Sensodyn.

    I rinse during the day whenever with Biotene mouthwash.

    Also at night (bed time) I apply a product called GC Mousse which protects the teeth from corrosion and help recalcify your teeth.

    Floss
    Brush (Sonic with pronamel)
    Biotene Mouthwash
    GC Mousse.

    Scam
  • minty01
    minty01 Member Posts: 10
    #13
    hi
    Hi Linda be careful with the baking soda it can irritate the inside of your mouth , have you tried the pink mouth wash you get at the dentist it contains no alchohol which can irritate .

    Regards Ian

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