title: A survey of current practice with regard to oral care for children being treated for cancer.
abstract: The aim of the study was to establish current UK oral care practice for children with cancer. A telephone survey of all 22 United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) centres was undertaken. Nineteen (86%) of the centres reported using guidelines/protocols for mouth care. The use of routine preventive oral care therapies showed the greatest variation between centres. Four centres (18%) did not use any prophylactic oral care therapy other than basic oral hygiene, whereas seven (32%) routinely used a combination of three or more agents. Chlorhexidine was the most frequently administered prophylactic therapy (17/22 centres, 77%), followed by nystatin (11/22 centres, 50%). There was little variation in advice given to parents/patients on basic oral hygiene. Regarding dental check-ups, 9/22 centres (41%) recommended children to attend a hospital-linked dental clinic. Only at 8/22 centres (36%) did children undergo a dental check-up before commencing cancer treatment. The survey identified significant variation in preventive oral care therapies and dental check-ups at the UKCCSG centres. Attention needs to be given to establishing evidence based, effective strategies.
authors.affiliation: Cochrane Oral Health Group, MANDEC, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, Higher Cambridge Street, Manchester M15 6FH, UK. a.glenny@man.ac.uk
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Glenny
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coulson
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Eden
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Worthington
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pizer
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D004506:Education, Nursing; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011364:Professional Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014099:Toothbrushing; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D009067:Mouthwashes