title: Oral mucositis prevention and management by therapeutic laser in head and neck cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral mucositis is considered a severe complication in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. The aim of this review study was to assess the effect of low level laser therapy for prevention and management of oral mucositis in cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The electronic databases searched included Pubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google scholar with keywords as "oral mucositis", "low level laser therapy" from 2000 to 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of most studies showed that photobiomodulation (PBM) reduced the severity of mucositis. Also, it can delay the appearance of severe mucositis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low level laser therapy is a safe approach for management and prevention of oral mucositis.
authors.affiliation: Laser Research Center in Medical Sciences (LRCMS), AJA University of Medical Sciences- Laser Research Center of Dentistry (LRCD), School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fekrazad
authors.affiliation: Laser Research Center of Dentistry (LRCD), School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chiniforush
keywords: low level laser therapy; management; mucositis; prevention