Dental management of leukemic patients

Three cases involving the oral management of patients with acute leukemia are described. Of particular interest is that the patients had abnormal responses to oral disease, probably related to their compromised host defenses. Because of the difficulty in treating oral disease in leukemic persons while they are undergoing chemotherapy, it is extremely important that such patients have dental evaluations and, if possible, treatment prior to initiation of medical management for their neoplasia.