Dental Care for Children with Leukemia: Major Updates

Leukemia is a haematological neoplasm that among 300 children and adolescents in Brazil. Its standard treatment consists of the use of antineoplastic based on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, these recommended therapies can provoke several side effects among them buccal alterations mainly due to the immunosupression picture. In view of the exposed this study has the objective to describe the main updates of the dental care to the child carrier of leukemia by reviewing the literature. Immunosuppression and the very fragility and stage of development of children with leukemia lead to greater vulnerability to all types of opportunistic infections and pathologies resulting from antineoplastic therapy. Currently, modern oncology requires the presence of the dentist in all phases of treatment and even before diagnosis in a sine qua non condition for management, maintenance of oral health and quality of life of the leukemic patient. The dentist besides being part of the cancer team is required both in the in-hospital environment and in daily clinical practice. Currently there is a wide range of resources and medicines to promote a satisfactory handling and quality of life for these patients.