I am about to start my radiotherapy course next week. For some years now I have used an ultrasonic electric toothbrush (Sonicare, now part of Phillips Consumer Products) and my dentist has said this has contributed to my excellent dental state. The good thing about these brushes is that the ultrasound and rapid brush movements do help to keep debris away from the teeth. They don't stop plaque buildup but do reduce it.

Has anyone any experience of using one of these to maintain oral hygiene during and after RT?? It has been suggested I would be better off switching to a very soft hand brush so I don't irritate the gums and mouth too much.

Any comments or experiences???

Hi Buddha,

I have used the ultrasonic toothbrush with great success too. During treatment there is no way i would use it. I did go through radiation in Louisville at brown Cancer institute at the same time they were doing a clinical trial for Cuprident a natural toothpaste and mouth foam. It helped a great deal with my mouth sores and allowed me to stay on soft food my entire treatment. Because of its healing properties it helps with othergum problems and overall oral health I recommend using the natural toothpaste until treatment begins and then moving to the mouth foam as soon as treatment begins.

hi cyndi

I completed my RT back in June! I continued to use the ultrasonic brush without any problems although the taste of toothpaste left a little to be desired when my taste buds went west - even though they have come back in the main, it still tastes a bit odd.

Thats great information to have... yeah I think it took 2 years before the effects of chemo and radiation stabilized. some things will never be quite the same :-) Were you able to eat through your rt?

yep - more or less until the last week of the 6 when I just didn't feel like eating.........in fact I only lost about 5kg overall and with a base of 100kg I was somewhat disappointed had to be careful with spicy foods though - I'm a chilli grower so like my hot stuff - and am still being careful although am eating pretty normally again now......

Hello fat buddha

Good to know you are doing well. Philips did a study (In vivo study: Use of a Sonicare toothbrush in Medication-Induced Xerostomia) that showed an increase in salivation in patients with dry mouth with use of their Sonicare toothbrush. Have you or anyone found it to help with their dry mouth after radiotherapy?

Best wishes
Vinod

Hi,

I used the Sonicare all during the radiation treatment; had been using it previous to that time. Also use a soft manual brush at other times. Must brush the teeth after eating and since I have to eat more often ( small portions); I alternate between the two.

I don't think the Sonicare helps with saliva, but it certainly does not hurt. The brushes are soft and don't cause any discomfit. Everybody is different; whatever works best is the way to go.

I brush with one or the other after eating; also use rinses; Biotene, Oasis, and water with baking soda and salt. Treat the teeth with trays and fluoride gel. And fluoride rinses.

My saliva has increased, but I can not attribute it to any one thing. I did have shots before radiation that was supposed to protect the saliva glands, amyiol "something" - hating shots and having to go through 2 a day has rendered my memory useless.

One thing I am convinced of - keep your mouth as clean as possible; use a fluoride gel, with trays, and/or rinse; rinse after any food or liquid; it will help to keep teeth intact. They do deteriate rather quickly after this treatment due to radiation and lack of saliva. I wish I knew more about this when I began the treatment.

Take care.

I can't say whether the Sonicare helped with the dry mouth as I had nothing to compare it with but I certainly didn't suffer with this as much as I been led to expect, so maybe it did help.

Interesting stats in that trial about the incidence of caries after 2 years. I think most dentists would advocate the use of ultrasound toothbrushes based on that alone - certainly my dentist belives it has contributed to my good oral hygiene over the last few years as he has little to do on check-ups!

Whilst I was having my radiotherapy my husband bought himself a sonicare toothbrush and spare brush and invited me to try it out. I only put it near my teeth for seconds and was in distress as the teeth/gums were so sensitive. I used a baby toothbrush and sensodyne for several months after tretament.

Then 3 years after treatment I decided to try again as my teeth seemed much less sensitive. I immediately bought my own full ultrasound brush.

I've been using one now for a year and love it. I suspect some people will find them good during treatment and some people will be like me and run a mile when the mouth is so sensitive.

Hello Pauline, I have been thinking about you quite a lot and wondering how things are going for you ? Garance

Hi Garance. Good to hear from you, wondering how you are too. I am just really busy with my fashion website at this time of year (Ialso have a forum there too) and I suppose I am trying to move on. Although there is never a day when I don't have a situation where I am like you reminded I've had treatment.

Good news is that I am 4 years out from radiotherapy and just had my six monthly oncology check up last month, and the scope was ok, but I do have tinnitus. I feel very blessed to have come so far.

I am eating well (rather too well so also watching the weight which may as much be due to my sedentary occupation) and can eat so much better. The main thing has been improvement in texture of foods rather than taste and I have begun to swallow better than even a year ago.

There is extensive broken vein damage to my neck and decolletage. It doesn't bother me or my husband, but I do notice others looking at it when it is visible. So I am going to see the camouflage unit of the Red Cross at the hospital soon. Wondering if anyone else has used this service.

Laser treatment is an option, but GP says I would have to go privately or apply to the practice. Not really sure of the long term implications of laser treatment either.

For now I am content to just try the make up. Frankly I don't really want anymore treatment than vital. I expect many here feel like that. In fact recently Ihad to visit an ill relative and I kept thinking I don't want to be in a hospital even outside of the bed!

How are you getting along?

Hello Pauline

Just wondered if you got my 'private' mail last week? Brenda

Oh dear just found sveeral from months ago!

I think I might try the untrasonic toothbrush based on the comments here. I'm 10 months on from radiotherapy, and back to using 'grown up' toothbrushes. During the radiotherapy I could only use a baby toothbrush, and a couple of months on I graduated to a 'barbie' childs toothbrush. I also had a oral-b 'hummingbird' which is a powered flosser, and I found the pointed attachement really good for getting particles of food out from around the teeth, if used very carefully. Also worth trying is the the biotene range, they do a trial pack of toothpaste, mouthwash and replacement saliva gel. It's worth trying these to see what works for you. I found that normal toothpaste was impossible, as without saliva, I couldn't deal with all the foam that normal toothpastes generate.