Looking after dental health with Parkinson’s disease

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 1 April 2021

Parkinson's LifePrep: Parkinson's LifeCook: Parkinson's LifeServes:

A closeup of three men smiling together outdoors

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.”


Read more:

Why Parkinson’s disease research can’t ignore sex differences

How stress and mindfulness could impact Parkinson’s disease symptoms

Go Back

Share this story

Comments


Related articles


Speech therapy

PD in Practice

6 tips for improving speech in Parkinson’s

How to get the most from speech therapy sessions with PwPs

READ MORE
Parkinson's chewing recipe

Recipes & nutrition

How to plan nutritious easy-to-chew meals for people with Parkinson’s

Is chewing difficult? Read these tips for easy-to-chew meal planning

READ MORE