title: Don't forget the dentist: Dental care use and needs of women with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with breast cancer may develop dental problems due to treatment. We examined the prevalence of their dental care use and needs, compared the prevalence of use with that of the general population, and examined which factors predict patients' dental care use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with primary breast cancer completed a questionnaire at 6 and 15 months post-diagnosis. Medical data were retrieved from medical records. The prevalence of dental care use and needs was examined with descriptive analyses. Associations between predictors and dental care use were examined with multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one percent of 746 participants visited their dentist at least once in the past three months at 6 months, and 23% at 15 months post-diagnosis. The estimated percentage of women with at least one contact with their dentist in 12 months was low compared to the general female population (31.9% versus 79.5%). One to two percent of the respondents wanted more contact. Having dental care insurance (odds ratio 1.80; 95% CI, 1.08-3.00), chemotherapy (odds ratio 1.93; 95% CI, 1.21-3.06), and clinical distress 6 months post-diagnosis (odds ratio 2.53; 95% CI, 1.70-3.79) predicted use of dental care 9 months later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up to 15 months post-diagnosis, breast cancer patients' dental care use is lower than warranted. Oncologists and cancer nurses are recommended to inform patients about dental risks, and to encourage them - particularly those without insurance - to visit their dentist. Occurrence of dental problems should be monitored, especially in patients who receive chemotherapy or who are clinically distressed.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: d.n.lo-fo-wong@amc.uva.nl.
authors.forename: Deborah N N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Lo-Fo-Wong
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hanneke C J M
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Haes
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Neil K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aaronson
authors.affiliation: GROW, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Doris L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: van Abbema
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC - Cancer Institute, Groene Hilledijk 301, 3075 EA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mathilda D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: den Boer
authors.affiliation: Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Hezewijk
authors.affiliation: Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Reinier de Graafweg 3-11, 2625 AD, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marcelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Immink
authors.affiliation: Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kaptein
authors.affiliation: Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marian B E
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Menke-Pluijmers
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna K L
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Reyners
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nicola S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth Hospital, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schriek
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sieta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sijtsema
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Geertjan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Tienhoven
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mirjam A G
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sprangers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Breast cancer; Care needs; Dental care; Health care use