title: [Limited mouth opening, xerostomia and extensive caries after nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: This report describes a 19 year old trainee with a history of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC), a rare malignancy with distinct epidemiological, histopathological and clinical characteristics. During a screening for dental status, the soldier presented a limited mouth opening (25 mm), xerostomia, and extensive caries. Despite his resistance, he was referred to the TMJ unit in order to examine the reason for the limited mouth opening. During the anamnesis it was revealed that he suffered from NPC and was treated using chemotherapy and radiation therapy 6 month prior to the examination. This case emphasizes the importance of a thorough anamnesis and examination in order to discover such phenomenon, since withholding medical information is a well known phenomenon, especially among recruits and young soldiers. Unusual findings such as limited mouth opening, xerostomia and extensive caries, should be further examined. In this case a specialist's opinion is prompt, and until the definitive answer, treatment should be restricted to palliative dental treatment only, excluding any surgical procedure.
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps, Israeli Defence Forces, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coval
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakuto
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dinte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008889:Military Personnel; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents