Dental caries and demineralization in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Abstract

The number of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients is steadily increasing, and the use of radiotherapy for treatment in this patient group has been associated with side effects such as mucositis, trismus, xerostomia, dental caries, periodontal disease, and osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Radiation caries (RC) can be atypical, and their treatment can be challenging. Preventing and treating RC become crucial as post-radiotherapy tooth extraction can pave the way for ORN. The aim of this review is to evaluate the restorative dental treatment for HNC patients before, during, and after radiotherapy. This includes examining the impact of radiotherapy on tooth decay and demineralization, and providing solutions to address these effects.