TY - JOUR
T1 - Dental health of patients with Parkinson's disease in Iceland
AU - Einarsdóttir, Erna Rún
AU - Gunnsteinsdóttir, Hallfrídur
AU - Hallsdóttir, Margrét Huld
AU - Sveinsson, Sigurjón
AU - Jónsdóttir, Sonja Rut
AU - Ólafsson, Vilhelm Grétar
AU - Bragason, Thorvaldur Halldór
AU - Sæmundsson, Sigurdur Rúnar
AU - Holbrook, William Peter
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - The oral and dental health of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been well documented and the findings are conflicting. Patients with PD were invited to take part in a clinical and radiographic examination together with a comparison control group of persons who were a spouse or family member. Subjects (n = 67) and controls (n = 55) were examined and compared. Subjects with PD had more missing teeth, caries, dental plaque, and poorer periodontal health. Counts of cariogenic bacteria in saliva were significantly higher for subjects with PD. They did not consume more sweets or sugar, did not brush less frequently, used dental floss more than controls, and visited the dentist at least as often. Salivary flow levels were comparable between subjects with PD and controls. The lack of muscular control may explain the poorer oral health of patients with PD. Dentists and patients with PD may be reluctant to embark on complex dental procedures, and this may explain the increased number of missing teeth in persons with PD in this study.
AB - The oral and dental health of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been well documented and the findings are conflicting. Patients with PD were invited to take part in a clinical and radiographic examination together with a comparison control group of persons who were a spouse or family member. Subjects (n = 67) and controls (n = 55) were examined and compared. Subjects with PD had more missing teeth, caries, dental plaque, and poorer periodontal health. Counts of cariogenic bacteria in saliva were significantly higher for subjects with PD. They did not consume more sweets or sugar, did not brush less frequently, used dental floss more than controls, and visited the dentist at least as often. Salivary flow levels were comparable between subjects with PD and controls. The lack of muscular control may explain the poorer oral health of patients with PD. Dentists and patients with PD may be reluctant to embark on complex dental procedures, and this may explain the increased number of missing teeth in persons with PD in this study.
KW - Dental caries
KW - Oral health
KW - Parkinson 's disease
KW - Periodontal disease
KW - Special needs dentistry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350191672&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2009.00075.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2009.00075.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 19938251
AN - SCOPUS:70350191672
SN - 0275-1879
VL - 29
SP - 123
EP - 127
JO - Special Care in Dentistry
JF - Special Care in Dentistry
IS - 3
ER -