HOSPITAL DENTISTRY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER: ORAL COMPLICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PHOTOBIOMODULATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.068-040Keywords:
Head and neck cancer, Hospital dentistry, Oral complications, Oral mucositis, PhotobiomodulationAbstract
Head and neck cancer and its antineoplastic treatments are associated with several complications that affect oral health, oral functions, nutritional status, and patients’ quality of life. This chapter aimed to discuss the main oral complications related to the treatment of head and neck cancer, highlight the contributions of hospital dentistry to the prevention and management of these manifestations, and analyze the available evidence on photobiomodulation as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy. A narrative literature review was conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and SciELO databases, prioritizing recent publications and relevant studies addressing the topic. The literature demonstrates that oral mucositis, xerostomia and hyposalivation, radiation-related caries, oral candidiasis, taste alterations, trismus, dysphagia, and osteoradionecrosis are important complications that may occur during or after cancer treatment. Photobiomodulation presents favorable evidence, particularly for the prevention and management of oral mucositis, although the heterogeneity of therapeutic parameters still limits the standardization of treatment protocols. It is concluded that hospital dentistry plays an important role in integrated and longitudinal cancer care and that photobiomodulation may be incorporated as an adjunctive resource when clinically indicated and supported by available evidence.
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