Cosmetic Dentistry |3 min read

Bellevue Dentists Advise Resolving Tooth and Gum Issues

Resolving Tooth and Gum Issues with Bellevue Cosmetic Dentists

Beautiful Healthy Smile
Bellevue cosmetic Dentists Create Beautiful and Healthy Smile to Avoid Periodontal Disease Problems

Bellevue Cosmetic Dentists noted that a recent 2011 issue of CURE Magazine discusses doctor advice to patients that they should resolve their tooth and gum issues before they start any cancer treatment. Medical doctors indicate that problematic dentistry conditions need to be managed up front because management of these problems after cancer treatment is very limited. Additionally, depending upon the dental treatment needed, such as tooth extraction, the complication risk is so significant that not doing it prior to cancer treatment can lead to significant or serious difficulties after the fact.  Your Bellevue Cosmetic Dentists will evaluate the best individual treatment for each patient.  Periodontal disease, commonly called gum disease, is an important problem that should be treated if possible before starting any cancer treatment. Depending upon the type and stage of the cancer, it may not allow total resolution of gum disease before starting cancer treatment. Periodontal disease can be a problem in the overall oral health and smiles of people who do not have cancer and should be treated when diagnosed.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), eliminating any pre-existing dental concerns or mucosal infections and then maintaining a good oral hygiene protocol before, during and after treatment can reduce the severity and frequency of oral complications from any cancer therapy. The NCI notes that there are an increasing number of studies that are giving more recognition to the importance of resolving a variety of dentistry issues prior to starting any cancer therapy. Proper dental care and hygiene can help mitigate problems that can occur during and after cancer therapy.

Dentistry Complications Prior to Cancer Treatment

The problems are varied and do not show up in all people being treated for cancer. Complications can be:

  • Gums not healing properly after radiation
  • Bone not healing properly after radiation
  • Oral bacterial infections that can spread throughout the body
  • Chemotherapy-induced immune suppression
  • Severe dry mouth which accelerates tooth decay
  • Taste dysfunction and problems chewing food

Damage to tiny blood vessels to the bone impeding proper bone growth
Because of these potential problems, any tooth extractions or invasive dental procedures in irradiated bones are likely to exhibit slow healing which can lead to pain and infections in some instances. Radiation therapy directed at salivary glands can be particularly problematic due to extreme dry mouth. There are medications to help alleviate dry mouth, but these usually rely on residual salivary gland function assuming that enough function still remains after treatment.

Dentistry procedures such as extractions prior to radiation are based upon the health of the teeth, the surrounding gums, and the bone around the teeth. Additionally, the amount of radiation to be used and the area to be treated are considered. Gum disease is a particular problem and is a cause for tooth extraction prior to radiation therapy. Other problems that indicate extraction prior to radiation therapy are root canals, tooth fractures and broken fillings that cannot be adequately restored. Bellevue Cosmetic Dentists are able to help with gum problems.

Cancer Relationships to Periodontal Disease

When treating cancer, you cannot dismiss oral health because it affects your health systemically according to Dennis Abbott DDS. This is not surprising, as we Bellevue Cosmetic Dentists have reported previously about some of the problems associated with gum disease and overall health. Some of the problems that exist with periodontal disease are its relationship to heart disease and stroke and the possible relationship to some types of cancer such as breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.  It is important that all people maintain excellent gum help to prevent future complications with other disease problems.

14 comments on “Bellevue Dentists Advise Resolving Tooth and Gum Issues”
  1. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Great in-depth knowledge and analysis of this Periodontal Disease problem doc. Looking forward to reading more from you.

    Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    I would say it is not very easy to find good reading in the Internet related to dentistry and professional dental tips. So, it is really actual post, thanks.

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Great info, having gum issues and not taking care of it can cause some major dental problems

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Thanks for the blog, this is good advice for everyone. Since a diagnosis of cancer is generally unexpected news, this article underscores the need to practice good dental health maintenance before cancer therapy becomes an issue.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    This is a good blog.I like this content that the tooth problem can solve by this way also.
    Good post.This is so informative to us also.
    Thanks..
    http://www.westmetrodental.com/

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    I had heard about the possibility of gum disease and heart disease being linked, but had not realized that cancer treatments are also a problem for those with periodontal problems. I will remember that as someone in my family has major gum problems.

    Reply
    1. Avatar photo
      Brookside Dental

      Healthadvisor,
      Thanks for stopping by the blog. Glad this could be of use to you.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Very informative article and the focus on an patient’s overall health should always be considered. Good read.

    Reply
    1. Avatar photo
      Brookside Dental

      Sacremento Cosmetic Dentist thanks for the visit and the nice comment. I visited your website and it is very nice. I like your before and after smile photos.

      Reply
  8. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Thanks for this nice post……
    Many people have mentioned that it would be helpful to see what a cosmetic dentistry treatment plan might look like. This will gives a good idea of the analysis and solutions receive from a cosmetic dentist…….

    Reply
    1. Avatar photo
      Brookside Dental

      Atlanta Dental, Thanks for the comment.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for Brookside Dental

    Very informative. I wasn’t aware that periodontal disease and cancer were linked. Radiation treatment of head and neck can have devastating consequences on teeth and gums. What about radiation therapy elsewhere on the body?

    Modri zob

    Reply
    1. Avatar photo
      Brookside Dental

      Thanks for the comment regarding radiation.

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Brookside Dental
    Dr N Deepak kumar

    Thanks for sharing such informative information, great blog post. You might also check Crown Dental Care

    Reply
Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*