Abstract
Cancer therapy is accompanied by a wide range of systemic manifestations, including dental ones, including xerostomia, mucositis, muscle trism, osteoradionecrosis, caries, opportunistic infections, dysphagia, hypogeusia, dysgeusia and hyposalivation. The dentist is the most qualified specialist in the field of diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral cavity, as well as preventive measures to monitor its condition in cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. The purpose of the review is to analyze the domestic and foreign literature on the main dental consequences that may arise as a result of cancer therapy, emphasizing the importance of dental care to improve the quality of life of such patients, as well as to provide practical recommendations for eliminating these consequences. The primary sources were searched in the electronic databases PubMed, eLibrary and Google Scholar. In the end, 55 primary sources were included in this review. Damage to the oral cavity during antitumor therapy, which includes conditions such as mucositis, infections, hyposalivation, taste changes and pain, can be significant. These manifestations are potentially capable of disrupting many aspects of the functioning of the oral cavity and oropharynx, affecting taste sensations, causing dry mouth, difficulty chewing and swallowing and, as a result, affecting nutrition. Moreover, they can negatively affect speech function, the ability to maintain oral hygiene, dental prosthetics and a person's appearance, which can affect oral health, social and emotional well-being. These side effects can also affect adherence to planned anticancer therapy, potentially affecting the outcome of treatment, overall health, and cost of treatment. When examining cancer patients, the dentist should take into account the therapy received by the patient, it is also important to pay attention to possible long-term effects similar to those that may occur in patients receiving bisphosphonates. Thus, the cancer patient will not stop receiving proper medical care, and any new problem will be diagnosed at an early stage.