What Should You Eat if You Have Cancer?

If you have cancer and you are undergoing treatments, whether it’s chemotherapy or radiation therapy, your ability to taste changes, and you might find it more difficult to eat the foods that you are used to eating. But despite these uncomfortable difficulties, it’s important to maintain a balanced diet as it is recommended by your physician.

It’s important to get the right amount of calories and nutrients. Protein intake is something to consider everyday. You must also make sure you get enough vitamins by eating enough fruits and vegetables. If needed, you may take vitamin supplements that also provide minerals and calories.

Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol during cancer treatment. Tobacco is a strong carcinogen and should never be used in the first place, even less if you are diagnosed with cancer.

Acidic foods can cause irritation in your mouth. You should therefore avoid acidic, high-sugar beverages like soft drinks and energy drinks. Consumption of grapefruit, orange juice, and tomato juice should also be reduced because they are acidic natural foods.

Full article: Cancer Treatments and Oral Health
In French: Que faut-il manger si on est atteint d’un cancer?

What Can a Patient with Cancer Do about Dry Mouth?

One of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment is xerostomia (dry mouth). It’s an unpleasant sensation caused by a reduced production of saliva in the mouth. This condition can increase the risk of developing tooth decay and can also cause a burning or painful feeling on the tongue and all around the mouth.

If you have cancer, you should clean your teeth and mouth at least four times a day, and floss at least once a day. If there are areas in your gums that are bleeding or that are sore, floss gently around them.

You also need to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, in order to give a higher protection to your teeth against cavities. You can rinse your mouth with a solution of baking soda and salt in warm water several times a day, and this followed by rinsing with water alone. Other commercial mouthwashes may also be used to rinse your mouth, but as long as they don’t contain alcohol.

Full article: Cancer Treatments and Oral Health
In French: Que faire si on est atteint du cancer et on souffre de bouche sèche?

What Should You Do about Your Mouth before Beginning a Cancer Treatment?

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are cancer treatments that have side effects which can cause discomfort, problems, or even pain in your mouth. Dentists recommend having a thorough dental exam at least two weeks before cancer treatment begins in order to reduce and manage the undesirable side effects.

Before the exam, you should notify the dentist of your health state with cancer and update your medical history. Your dentist should know who your physician is, what your cancer treatment will be, and other aspects of your cancer diagnosis. All this information will help your dentist understand and plan how to treat you, make the right recommendations and support your physician’s treatment plan.

Full article: Cancer Treatments and Oral Health
In French: Qu’est-ce qu’il faut faire à propos de sa bouche avant un traitement du cancer?

Can Cancer Treatment Affect Your Mouth?

Yes it can.

A patient who is diagnosed with cancer in any area of the body might need to go through radiation treatments and chemotherapy. These cancer treatments can affect your mouth causing many side effects:

• Xerostomia or dry mouth, which follows a reduced production of saliva.
• Pain or burning feeling in the mouth, tongue and gums which might follow a low amount of saliva in the mouth.
• Cavities because of the low amount of saliva.
• Jaw stiffness.
• Problems with eating, speaking, and swallowing.
• Decreased ability to taste foods.
• Periodontal disease.
• Weakened immune system in general.

If you have to go through a cancer treatment, it is important to consult your dentist to make sure your teeth and mouth stay healthy.

Full article: Cancer Treatments and Oral Health
In French: Est-ce que les traitements du cancer peuvent affecter la bouche?

Dr Marie-Claude Michaud

One of the greatest dentists I have known is Dr Marie-Claude Michaud. She and I know each other very well because not only we had done our dental studies together at university, but we have also worked together for many years.

Marie-Claude and I got our dentist diplomas in 1999. She continued studying by doing a year of residency while I worked on opening a new office. During her residency year, she became very acquainted with surgery dental extractions, including wisdom teeth removal, and this still remains her best asset! She offers the best care for her patients and clearly explains all different options that they have before starting treatments.

Her lovely personality puts anybody at ease and her work is perfect. If you get her on a cheerful day, she will even make you laugh!

By the way, did I mention that Marie-Claude is my own dentist!

In French: Dr Marie-Claude Michaud.

Dental Tourism

In countries like Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Europe, extensive dental treatments can be very costly. That is why some people chose dental tourism, where you could visit another country and pay less for your dental treatments.

So why not travel to another country, and have your teeth repaired at the same time. The whole thing would probably cost less than if you had your teeth worked on at home.

I had a patient last year who needed a bridge with two missing teeth. The cost of that bridge in Canada would have been at least $4,000. With that money, she was telling me, she could pay herself a trip to Mexico, or even Thailand, and pay for her bridge over there. So can dentists in those countries really be trusted?

In all countries, there are good dentists and bad dentists. I have seen great root canal work done in Brazil. I also saw beautiful crowns done in Russia. What is important is to look up those dentists and have good referral before consulting them.

I have also seen crowns with decay left under them that were done in other countries. The thing that concerned me is that the dentist who made those crowns was very reputed in his city.

Should people go abroad for their dental work? If I wasn’t a dentist, and if I needed dental work done, I would find a good dentist, whom reputation I know, and who is located close to where I live. But when I travel I would concentrate only on tourism. However, if I was in Brazil and if I happened to need a root canal, I would go to the dentist that I mentioned above with no hesitation.

To finish on a funny tone, here’s a picture of a dental professional in North Africa. He repairs your dentures on the spot! He has a choice of hundreds of teeth to match exactly what you need.

Source of the picture: itravelnet.com
In French: Tourisme dentaire

Early Childhood Caries

Early childhood caries is something that all parents should be concerned about if they are taking care of a baby or a child younger than 5 years old. This type of cavity is very aggressive and it affects deciduous teeth, especially the front ones that are on top. Early childhood caries apprear if a child’s teeth are exposed for long periods to liquids containing sugars. These liquids include fruit juices, soft drinks and even milk and baby formula.

It was previously called baby bottle tooth decay because a baby’s front teeth had extensive cavities after leaving for a long time a bottle in his mouth containing either milk or any other sweet liquid. The resulting effect were dark brown spots that could be seen around the front teeth. If these cavities develop, they grow larger, eventually destroying the whole tooth, like shown in the group of teeth on the above picture.

It is recommended not to let a baby have his bottle for more than 10 minutes, if the bottle contains milk or any sweet liquid. If the baby bottle remains longer in a baby’s mouth, only pure water should be in it.

Full article: Early Childhood Tooth Decay.
Source: Update on Early Childhood Caries
In french: Carie de la petite enfance