The incidence of head and neck cancer is on the rise. Most head and neck cancers are treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these modalities. Patients undergoing radiotherapy can experience several unwanted oral side effects, which have both short and long term implications. Dental general practitioners should be aware of these implications and should liaise closely with the restorative consultants and the oncology team to establish the best oral care pathway. This two-part series is a review of the oral changes that occur during and after radiotherapy and the oral management of head and neck oncology before, during and after radiotherapy. This article deals with both immediate sequelae such as cellulitis, mucositis, dysphagia, dysguesia and weight loss as well as long term sequelae such as rampant caries, trismus, xerostomia and osteoradionecrosis. It also encompasses the importance and need for pre-radiotherapy assessment.

The incidence of head and neck cancer is on the rise. Radiation therapy is one of the major treatment modalities for the management of oral malignancies. As with any treatment modality, radiation therapy is associated with various complications. The second part of this series is a review of the oral changes that occur during and after radiotherapy and the oral management of head and neck oncology patients before, during and after radiotherapy. Dental practitioners will encounter patients who have been affected by cancer or who are current cancer patents. General dental practitioners (GDPs) have a vital and proactive role in supporting such patients. The aim of this article is to review the oral management of these patients during and after radiotherapy, and gives practical advice for GDPs and their teams in the long-term care of these patients.

Single-contrast CT can show bowel injuries in patients with penetrating abdominopelvic trauma with accuracy comparable with that reported for triple-contrast CT.