Oral health conditions in patients with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND: Oral health conditions and related factors of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have not been well elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate oral health conditions and related factors which may influence oral health conditions among patients with PD. METHODS: We compared oral health conditions and related factors between 104 PD patients and 191 inhibitants (controls) who received dental health check-ups in Hokkiado, Japan. The unconditional logistic regression model was used for adjusting for sex and age. We also conducted stratified analysis by sex and age group using this model. The chi(2) test and the Cochran-Mantel-Haenzel test were used for simple and stratified analyses of knowledge of oral health among PD patients, respectively. RESULTS: In the present survey, we found the following results. (1) PD patients had more complaints of chewing difficulties and denture discomfort than controls. (2) Fewer PD patients had their own teeth than controls regardless of sex. (3) Fewer PD patients cleaned their dentures every day than controls, regardless of sex or age. (4) More than half of the PD patients had problems with swallowing. CONCLUSION: We found that PD patients had more complaints about their oral health and more problems in oral health behavior than the general population. These findings may provide useful information for the caregivers of PD patients to conduct oral health care as well as for making oral health plans for PD patients and for medical and welfare services.