Malignant disease and the delivery of dental care.

UNLABELLED: Patients diagnosed or being treated for malignant disease can neglect their dental care and be reluctant to undertake dental treatment. This article considers the dental problems that may arise in such patients and how they can be managed. Chemotherapy and its sequelae are the main challenges to the delivery of routine dental care. For such patients, it is important to liaise with their oncologists to obtain an up-to-date haematological profile and time frame for any future treatments. For all such patients, dental care may be neglected, but it is important that dental and oral health is maintained.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This article reviews the possible impact that malignant disease and its treatment can have on the delivery of dental care. Chemotherapy-induced bone marrow depression is likely to have the most profound effect on routine dental treatment.