Looking after dental health with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease symptoms and medications can cause dental health problems – including difficulty cleaning teeth and increased tooth decay. Now, a study from researchers in Brazil has offered dental care recommendations to help people living with the condition.

Analysing data from 14 studies, the scientists highlighted people with Parkinson’s can have “reduced quality of oral health and hygiene”. Their advice included routine teeth-brushing, as well as regular trips to a dentist. They also suggested brushing teeth with both hands, as symptoms like tremor and rigidity could mean using one hand is more difficult.

The researchers wrote: “Although oral diseases are largely preventable, they are among the most prevalent diseases globally, thus creating a public health problem.

“Despite the relatively low level of evidence in studies on oral health among patients with Parkinson’s disease, the data retrieved for this systematic review allowed us to create a set of simple guidelines.”

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