Note: Each patient’s condition is different, so please rely on your treating physician’s explanation of your condition. Even for oral cancer patients whose surgery is performed by me, please follow the specific recommendations and medical advice based on the specific condition.
Recommendations for recovery after oral cancer treatment
In the first month after oral cancer surgery, the focus is on recovery of the operated area; in the second to third month, the focus is on adjuvant treatment (such as radiotherapy) and its post-treatment recovery. After three months to six months, regular review will start. The main purpose of review is: early detection and treatment of local or regional recurrence and second primary cancer.
1. Oral hygiene maintenance: After oral cancer treatment, it is more difficult for patients to maintain oral hygiene due to restricted mouth opening, restricted lip and tongue movement, abnormal sensation and reduced salivary secretion, and common oral diseases such as periodontal disease and dental caries are entangled. It is recommended to take a positive attitude and rebuild good oral hygiene habits. Brush more teeth, rinse more often and have regular oral examination.
(1) Brushing.
Brush your teeth after three meals and before going to bed, that is, brush your teeth three to four times a day, especially brush your teeth before going to bed must not be missing. It should be started immediately after surgery discharge, and as much as possible without interruption during radiotherapy. After surgery or radiotherapy, the oral mucosa is more fragile and delicate, and there are often mucositis and ulcers, so it is recommended to choose a small toothbrush for children, with soft bristles. Do not use toothpaste that contains mint and other irritants. The action of brushing should be gentle, and strive to brush every side of each tooth. If you can’t brush your teeth because your mouth is too small, you can consider buying a flosser to maintain oral hygiene through oral rinsing.
(2) Rinse your mouth.
In addition to brushing your teeth, you should also rinse your mouth frequently. Just use water, or occasionally use light salt water. It is not necessary to use mouthwash, especially not recommended for long-term use of mouthwash. Mouthwash without alcohol is preferable.
(3) Regular dental checkups.
Regular dental check-ups and regular oral cleaning can reduce the occurrence of dental caries and periodontal diseases. If there are oral mucosal wounds or ulcers that do not heal in 2 to 3 weeks, be sure to return to ask the surgeon for a review.
Teeth should not be extracted after radiotherapy. Prosthetic restoration is generally not recommended within two years after surgery-radiotherapy.
2. Post-treatment dietary recommendations.
Unless due to other diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney diseases, there is no need to avoid eating after oral cancer surgery or radiotherapy. In terms of food types, it is recommended to have a normal diet with balanced nutrition, less meat and more fruits and vegetables. There is no scientific basis for the rumor that “hairy food” is forbidden in the folklore, so there is no need to believe it. Food therapy” is not recommended, and Chinese medicine is not recommended.
For some patients with limited chewing and swallowing function, food can be processed into burnt or thin soup according to specific conditions.
3.Psychological adjustment of oral cancer patients
Oral cancer patients and their family members often experience fear, frustration, shock and other emotional reactions, which are normal, but should not be excessive. Otherwise, it may affect the recovery. Patients are advised to communicate more with medical team, family members and friends.
(1) Seek support from the medical team: Do not make blind guesses about your condition and subsequent treatment by yourself, and do not believe in folk remedies and legendary cases. Encourage communication with the medical team.
(2) Seek support from family members and friends: As a patient, take the initiative to seek support from family members and try to have them accompany the patient to the clinic and participate in medical decisions; encourage openness and expression of negative emotions such as depression and give family members the opportunity to care and support; as family members and friends, it is not necessary to talk a lot with the patient, but it is recommended to accompany more often and give the patient appropriate back rubs and taps on the shoulders to make the patient feel cared for.
(3) Self-adjustment and recovery: As long as there is no conclusive evidence of cancer recurrence, you should remind yourself that you are no longer a cancer patient, but a cancer survivor without cancer cells in your body. Don’t do nothing, try to resume the original habits of life and rest and do some household chores that you can do; resume your original work as soon as possible. Moderate physical exercise, insist on at least two more hours of moderate or one more hour of heavy intensity exercise per week, spread out during the week. Relax yourself by enjoying music, reading, walking, etc.
4. Stay away from tobacco, alcohol and betel nut.
The etiology of oral cancer is unknown and presumed to be related to many factors; among them, the most important risk factors are smoking and drinking alcohol, betel nut chewing. Therefore, after oral cancer treatment, you should decisively stay away from smoking, alcohol and betel nut.
Recommendations for oral cancer review
Recurrence of oral cancer after treatment usually occurs within one to two years after surgery. It is recommended to return to the hospital for follow-up review according to the severity of the disease in order to detect recurrent lesions and the second primary cancer at an early stage for timely and effective retreatment. It is generally recommended that: in the first year after treatment, follow-up examinations should be conducted every 1 to 3 months; in the second year, every 2 to 4 months; from the third to the fifth year, every 4 to 6 months; after the fifth year, every 6 to 12 months.
The specific time and method of review is mainly arranged and decided by your surgeon. It is not possible to determine whether oral cancer has a tendency to recur by blood test. Six months after surgery and radiotherapy, if there are any new abnormal changes in the oral cavity, face and neck, including sensory changes, shape changes, color changes, texture changes, and functional changes, and they do not improve in more than two weeks, it is important to return for review in time and should not be delayed until the next appointment.