The management of the oral complications of leukemia

Current management of the oral complications of leukemia has been reviewed by means of a questionnaire circulated to leukemia units in Great Britain. Oral manifestations of the disease appear to be common and symptoms severe despite advances in the general management of this group of diseases. It is confirmed that infection involving a wide variety of commensal organisms is an important problem, and it is suggested that improvements can be made in management, especially with the use of broad-spectrum antiseptic agents (for example, 0.2 per cent chlorhexidine gluconate which reduces the total number of organisms in the mouth by about 98 per cent.).