Dental clearance prior to hematopoietic cell transplantation
Hematopoietic cell transplantation, or bone marrow transplantation, is a procedure used to treat a number of conditions including leukemia and lymphoma. This treatment cause the blood counts to fall and puts patients at risk for infections until the counts return to normal. Studies have shown that bacteria present in the mouth may cause fever and sepsis ("blood poisoning") when counts are low. Such sepsis needs treatment with powerful antibiotics, may cause discomfort, and will increase the length of the hospital stay. The Center for Oral Disease at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital has developed a dental evaluation and screening program to reduce infections in the mouth and therefore reduce the chances of such sepsis.
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