News > Treatment of periodontitis, before chemotherapy, reduces inflammation markers!

We know that

(a) Chemotherapy can cause bleeding of the gums, with gingival and periodontium inflammation and infection.

(b) Ιn cancer patients, gingivitis and periodontal infection have been associated with fever and generalized inflammation during chemotherapy, especially during periods when white blood- cell counts fall, with a negative impact on treatment success.

How is periodontitis related to cancer?

A recent study showed that people with breast cancer have worse periodontal health after chemotherapy. Additionally, gingivitis and periodontitis promote complications in the gums, periodontium and jaws, when a patient receives bone medications, biological, targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

The treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis prior to chemotherapy

In the present study, the gingival inflammation profile was examined in patients with breast cancer and periodontitis, before and after conservative treatment of periodontitis (without surgical intervention).

Periodontitis was treated before chemotherapy. The patients, after the periodontal treatment, entered a maintenance program, with checks on the health of their gums and maintenance of good oral hygiene.

Results

Periodontal treatment prior to chemotherapy and subsequent maintenance of gingival health during chemotherapy reduced markers of inflammation in cancer patients that were associated with periodontitis.

Also, conservative periodontal treatment helped reduce the inflammation profile to reduce periodontitis flare-ups.

Conclusions

Conservative periodontal treatment can increase the resistance of periodontal tissues to acute changes during chemotherapy. This beneficial effect of healing of the gums and maintaining good oral health is important and is expected to reduce fever and generalized inflammation during chemotherapy.