Experience in education, prevention and control of oral complications in children with cáncer

Abstract

Cancer treatment act not only in diseased tissues,but also on healthy cells, during this process often occur side effects that may appear inthe form of later oral and systemic. Examplesmucositis, xerostomia, infections, bacterial, fungaland viral. Objective: To evaluate the frequencyof oral complications in children with cancerwho attended the faculty of dentistry before theantineoplastic treatment six months after havingreceived oncoterapia and training, for the controlof the same. Materials and methods: The sampleconsisted of 100 children with diagnosis of cancerthat they came from different hospitals and privateclinics in Caracas and its surroundings. Wasa questionnaire representatives accompanyingthe child, at the time of the first visit to the initialinformation, they discussed children, correspondingtreatment was carried out, trained representatives,they controlled every month for sixmonths, and oral complications were analyzed. Results: Parents had no initial knowledge on oralcomplications. The age group most affected wasunderstood in ages younger than 5 years (48%);the male gender was the most affected (63%); themost common malignancy was Lymphoma nonHodgkin(24%); 10% of children presented somemouth being the most common candidiasis complicationand ulcers. Conclusions: We emphasizethe importance of active participation of the dentistwith the representatives of the patient, as wellas with the oncologist, pediatrician, especiallybefore treatment antineoplastic educating aboutthe effects of cancer treatment, since they are potentiallyharmful, causing various oral.