Radiotherapy is used as a radical treatment for carcinomas of the naso-and oropharynx, with the intention of preserving shape and function of the dento-maxillo-facial region. However, these patients often experjence side effects such as xerostomia or osteoradionecrosis after receiving doses of 60 to 80 Gy. We examined an importance of management of the oral environment for maintaining quality of life after radical irradiation ot patients with carcinomas of the naso-and oropharynx. From 1990

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... ugh 2001, we evaluated the oral environment of 35 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas and 36 with oropharyngeal carcinomas who had been treated with radiotherapy at other institutions, The evaluations were done at Osaka Dental University Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether the time after completion of radiotherapy was greater than one year before the first visit at our hospital. All subjects were examined for loss of teeth and changes in the index for decayed, missing and tilled (DMF) teeth. There was little difference in the DMF index for patients with carcinomas of the oropharynx, compared with healthy adults of the same age, However, the DMF index one year after radiation therapy tended to increase compared with the controls. We believe that oral hygiene instructions and monitoring of the oral condition should be done as soon as possible after radiotherapy for the patients with carcinomas of the naso-and oropharynx. It is also important that the location of the area irradiated is clearly understood in order to properly plan for the dental care of these patients. Shika lgaku (J Osaka Odontot Soc)