Cancer and a root canal needed
My dear close friend has cancer but need a root canal
My friend has cancer and is recovering from it. However one of her teeth is hurting her and she thinks she may need a root canal. How does a dentist do a root canal? Should she wait? Her doctor told her if her teeth hurt she needs to see a dentist. How do they do a root canal? How often should she see a dentist while she is having cancer treatment? Any info that I can pass on to her would be great. Thanks
Monday, Dec. 21st 2009 3:12 PM at 3:12 pm
There was a very good post about cancer and dental treatment on this blog site only a few days ago. I copied a little bit for you but you may wish to pull up the post for the complete information given
Protect Your Mouth During Cancer Treatment
Brush gently, brush often
* Brush your teeth—and your tongue—gently with an extra-soft toothbrush.
* Soften the bristles in warm water if your mouth is very sore.
* Brush after every meal and at bedtime.
Floss gently—do it daily
* Floss once a day to remove plaque.
* Avoid areas of your gums that are bleeding or sore, but keep flossing your other teeth.
Keep your mouth moist
* Rinse often with water.
* Don’t use mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
* Use a saliva substitute to help moisten your mouth.
Eat and drink with care
* Choose soft, easy-to-chew foods.
* Protect your mouth from spicy, sour, or crunchy foods.
* Choose lukewarm foods and drinks instead of hot or icy-cold.
* Avoid alcoholic drinks.
Stop using tobacco
* Ask your cancer care team to help you stop smoking or chewing tobacco. People who quit smoking or chewing tobacco have fewer mouth problems.
Monday, Dec. 21st 2009 3:43 PM at 3:43 pm
Doing the root canal would be no different then someone without cancer. However your friend would want to let the dentist know about her cancer. The more the dentist know the better he can treat her.
I would also say that she should go to the dentist just like she would normally, unless her treatment is effecting teeth. If that is the care, have her talk to a dentist about her oral health care.