title: Oral health status and dental care behaviours of head and neck cancer patients: a cross-sectional study in an Austrian tertiary hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the oral health status and dental care behaviours of patients treated for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in an Austrian tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dental care behaviours, oral hygiene level, caries, and periodontal parameters were assessed in 48 patients treated for HNSCC >6 months ago.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 52 % requested a dental check-up after HNSCC diagnosis and prior to treatment, and of those, 80 % received some type of dental treatment. At time-point of clinical examination, 69 % of the patients had consulted a dentist within the last year, but 88 % still needed dental treatment; 75 % had at least one tooth with caries and 78 % had moderate to severe periodontitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it was recommended, only half of the patients did consult a dentist prior to HNSCC treatment and oral health appeared, in general, low prioritized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About 90 % of the current group of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cancer patients presented large treatment needs, both in regard with caries and periodontal disease, about 20 months after cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Odontology, University of Malmö, Malmö, Sweden.|Division of Oral Surgery, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bertl
authors.affiliation: Division of Phoniatrics-Logopedics, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loidl
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ulana
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kotowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heiduschka
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thurnher
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Odontology, University of Malmö, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
authors.affiliation: Division of Phoniatrics-Logopedics, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. berit.schneider-stickler@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider-Stickler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010512:Periodontal Index
keywords: Dental care; Dental caries; Head and neck cancer; Periodontitis; Socioeconomic status