The following conversation occurred between Drs. Paul Belzycki and Erin Watson, general Dentists in Toronto. Dr. Belzycki is a private practitioner and Dr. Watson is a dentist operating at Princess Margaret Hospital. The conversation is about the management of a patient with a nasal pharyngeal carcinoma and who was treated by both Drs. Belzycki and Watson. Drs. Belzycki and Watson emphasized the importance of clearly and regularly communicating between professionals to ensure the best treatment for the patient. Dr. Belzycki is accustomed to thoroughly document his cases, a fact that Dr. Watson praised and considered instrumental for the patient’s treatment ...

Adapted from the American Dental Association website A panel of experts convened by the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs presents an evidence-based clinical practice guideline called the “Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation of Potentially Malignant Disorders in the Oral Cavity.” The goal for this 2017 clinical practice guideline is to inform clinicians about the potential use of adjuncts as triage tools for the evaluation of lesions, including potentially malignant disorders (PMDs), in the oral cavity. Among the guideline’s recommendations: Clinicians should obtain an updated medical, social, and dental history and perform an intraoral and extraoral ...

Submit your question or share your feedback with us through oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca Highlights In this Oasis Discussions segment, Dr. Deborah Saunders and Dr. Joel Epstein discuss the management of bacterial infections in oncology patients undergoing treatment. Periodontal and odontogenic infections are commonly found worldwide. However, Periodontal pathogens may cause serious problems in cancer patients. As such, dentists play a crucial role in decontaminating patients and ensuring safe treatments for these patients. All patients should be examined prior to the cancer treatment. It is important to understand his his/her cancer diagnosis and the type of treatment he/she will be having. The work-up ...

Submit your question or share your feedback with us through oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca Highlights Dr. Joel Epstein and Dr. Deborah Saunders return to Oasis Discussions to discuss viral infections and how they may present in cancer patients. Diagnosis of these infections requires asking the correct questions of the patient to determine if the patient may be a carrier of the virus, clinical presentation, nature and timing during cancer therapy and the appropriate tests. In some instances, prophylactic management may be considered. Most viral infections are reactivation of viral infections that are latent in the host. The virus uses the host’s DNA or ...

Drs. Debbie Saunders and Joel Epstein return to continue their series of presentations on oral cancer. Today they speak about one oral cancer complication: Dysgeusia.  Highlights Dysgeusia is another common oral complication which presents during cancer treatment. Dysgeusia is defined as an abnormal or impaired sense of taste, an unpleasant alteration of taste sensation or a distortion or perversion of the sense of taste. Taste is complex, with 5 tastes noted: sour, salt, sweet, bitter and umami.  In addition “spicy” taste is mediated by c-fibers and fat may be appreciated by specific receptors and by texture.  Taste along with texture, ...

Drs. Deborah Saunders and Joel Epstein return to Oasis Discussions to discuss a third complication that occurs during cancer therapy and beyond, xerostomia. Xerostomia affects speech, chewing, swallowing, taste and overall nutrition which may negatively affect overall treatment and patient outcomes during therapy. Xerostomia is not related to aging as much as it reflects the use of medications that result in dry mouth. See also: Oral Care in Cancer Therapy Part 1: Oral Care Pre-Head & Neck Cancer TreatmentOral Care in Cancer Therapy Part 2: Oral Care During Cancer Therapy Functions of Saliva Antimicrobial activity Control of pH Removal of ...

Drs. Deborah Saunders and Joel Epstein return to Oasis Discussions to discuss oral care before, during and after head and neck cancer treatment. See also: Oral Care in Cancer Therapy Part 2: Oral Care During Cancer TherapyOral Care in Cancer Therapy Part 3: Oral Care After Head & Neck Cancer Treatment Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in the world and it is expected to continue to grow. Infection-related cancers such as HPV, EBV and HCV are expected to play an important role in this increase. It is forecasted that a dentist will see ~1.3 newly diagnosed case of ...

Dr. John O’Keefe spoke with Dr. Angela Wong and Dr. Ruth Aponte Wesson, maxillofacial prosthodontists, about maxillary defects. Dr. Angela Wong, DMD, MS, FRCD(C) is a Maxillofacial Prosthodontist currently in private practice in Calgary, Alberta. Dr. Ruth Aponte Wesson, DDS, MS, FACP is a Maxillofacial Prosthodontist and Associate Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Highlights Etiology Maxillary defects can present at birth as with cleft lip and palate or they can be acquired during life. Most acquired maxillary defects are caused by cancer, other causes include infection, trauma or other diseases. Oral cancer makes up about 3% ...