Patients compliance to fluorisation trays and incidence of dental caries after radiotherapy: a retrospective analysis

SUMMARY Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of head and neck cancers. The irradiation of salivary glands results in a decrease of salivary secretion. These cariogenic conditions can be lowered by the use of thermoformed fluorisation trays used five to ten minutes every evening. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the compliance of 100 head and neck cancer patients to the use of fluorisation trays once daily and to determine how this compliance impacted on the risk of caries. The study showed that 48% of the patient never used the fluorisation trays and that the mean number of caries increased significantly with the non-compliance degree. These results demonstrate that the dentist can play a key role on the post-radiotherapy complications and patients quality of life. Med Buccale Chir Buccale 2007 ; 13 : 77-81.