Abstract

Background: Dental disease following chemotherapy and radiotherapy is a common and important problem in many head and neck cancer patients
Aim: To compare the complications and oral health status of patients who received radiotherapy with those who received chemotherapy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Oncology Department of SMS Medical College and Hospital among 242 patients. The patients were divided into two groups’ i.e. One group of patients who were undergoing chemotherapy and other group were undergoing radiotherapy treatment. The questionnaire included variables like age, gender, cancer site, type of treatment, completion of treatment (yes or no) and associated complications (altered taste, pain, mucositis, trismus and xerostomia). Oral mucositis was assessed according to the EORTC/ RTOG criteria. Salivary secretion was assessed by collection of resting whole saliva as well as stimulated saliva. OHI-S and CPI indices were also recorded. The statistical significance was determined by Chi-square test with the help of SPSS version 20.
Results: There was a highly statistically significant difference between chemotherapy and radiotherapy modalities when tested in relation to complications (altered taste, pain, mucositis, trismus and xerostomia). All the indices including OHI-S (The Simplified Oral Hygiene Index), CPI (Community Periodontal Index) and LOA (Loss of attachment) showed statistically significant difference when tested with the treatment modality.
Conclusion: It can be appreciated from the results that patients receiving radiotherapy experienced higher intensity of oral complications and poor oral health status. Different strategies should be planned to prevent oral complications and maintain oral hygiene status according to the type of cancer treatment.

Keywords: Health professionals; Oral health status; Cancer; CPI; OHI-S