ABSTRACT
Being able to chew properly is crucial to a good quality of life. This, in turn, is based on good oral health. This not only applies to healthy people, but also to those who are vulnerable. To achieve this good oral health, the authors of this opinion paper argue for more integration of medical and dental education, in order to promote shared expertise and, thus, interprofessional collaboration. It is expected this will ultimately benefit both general health and oral health for everyone.
Subject(s)
Mastication , Oral Health , Quality of Life , Humans , Health StatusABSTRACT
In this article, the results of a research project on the objective oral health of Parkinson's disease patients, related to the duration and the progression of the disease, are reported. Participants were 74 patients with Parkinson's disease and 74 control persons. All participants were orally examined. Dentate Parkinson's disease patients had statistically significantly more teeth with carious lesions, more tooth root remnants, and more biofilm and food particles when compared to dentate control persons. Within the group of dentate Parkinson's disease patients, the number of teeth with restorations as well as the number of mobile teeth were positively related to the duration of the disease. Additionally, in this group the number of teeth with carious lesions, the number of teeth with restorations, and the number of tooth root remnants were positively related to the progression of the disease. Parkinson's disease patients need daily oral hygiene care support, particularly in advanced stages of the disease.
Subject(s)
Dental Caries , Parkinson Disease , Tooth , Humans , Oral Health , Oral HygieneABSTRACT
This article comprises a report on a research project on the subjective oral health of Parkinson's disease patients, related to the duration and the progression of the disease. Participants were 74 patients with Parkinson's disease and a 74-person control group. All participants were interviewed about educational level, smoking habits, length of time since the last oral health consultation, number of oral health consultations during the previous 5 years, daily oral care, type of toothbrush used, chewing problems, biting problems, loss of taste, burning mouth, xerostomia, halitosis, remaining food particles, painful and bleeding gums, tooth mobility, toothache and tooth sensitivity. More patients with Parkinson's disease than people in the control group reported daily oral care support and had chewing problems, biting problems, loss of taste, tooth mobility and xerostomia. Among the patients with Parkinson's disease, the prevalence of chewing problems was related to the duration as well as the progression of the disease. Furthermore, a relation was demonstrated between the progression of the disease on the one hand and biting problems and daily oral care support on the other.
Subject(s)
Halitosis , Parkinson Disease , Xerostomia , Humans , Oral Health , ToothbrushingABSTRACT
Possible treatment options for Parkinson's disease consist of medications for motor symptoms as well as non-motor symptoms, such as cognitive decline, depression, hallucinations and delusions, constipation, and drooling. A number of these medications are in the experimental stage. In addition, physical activity and exercise can favourably influence the motor as well as the non-motor symptoms. Speech and dysphagia therapy are available, whereas cognitive behavioural therapy can control depressionand anxiety. Deep brain stimulation is the only surgical treatment currently used. Potential future surgical treatments are gene therapy, (stem) cell therapy, and the application of growth factors. Worldwide, research projects are being carried out in order to be able to control the disease. Once in a while surprising discoveries are made. Whether cure and/or prevention are possible remains to be seen.
Subject(s)
Antiparkinson Agents/therapeutic use , Deep Brain Stimulation , Parkinson Disease , Anxiety , Humans , Parkinson Disease/therapyABSTRACT
Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor symptoms, which are accompanied or often even preceded by non-motor symptoms. Pathologically, the disease is characterised by neural degeneration in specific brain regions, including the dopaminergic neurons of the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. At the molecular level, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, altered protein handling, and reactive microgliosis contribute to the neural degeneration. Advanced age is a significant risk factor. Men are more often affected by the disease than women. Environmental, life-style and genetic factors are potential aetiological factors. The disease is primarily diagnosed on the basis of clinical features. In clinically uncertain cases, magnetic resonance imaging and dopamine transporter single-photon emission computer tomography can provide additional information. Patients usually die due to comorbidity. Parkinson's disease has also several negative influences on the orofacial system.
Subject(s)
Aging/pathology , Dopaminergic Neurons/pathology , Parkinson Disease/diagnosis , Substantia Nigra/physiopathology , Humans , Parkinson Disease/etiology , Parkinson Disease/physiopathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Hypodontia is often seen in people with Down syndrome (DS). In the normal population, persons with hypodontia have a shorter cranial base and a hypoplastic maxilla, leading to a skeletal Class III tendency and a reduced face height. The purpose of this study was to examine craniofacial morphology in patients with DS at different ages and the influence of hypodontia on their craniofacial morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 63 children with DS (6-19 years old; 28 males and 35 females) at a Centre for Special Care Dentistry in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (CBT Rijnmond). Digital lateral cephalograms were obtained from all subjects and a cephalometric analysis was performed. The subjects were divided into a group with hypodontia (13 males and 25 females) and a group without hypodontia (15 males and 10 females). RESULTS: Significant results included a decrease in antero-posterior relationship of upper and lower jaw (ANB angle -0.331° per year, P = 0.044) and a decrease in vertical dimension (S-N_Go-Gn angle -0.72° per year, P = 0.039) over the years in subjects with hypodontia compared to subjects without hypodontia. CONCLUSION: The process of growth in DS patients is towards a reversed overjet. Hypodontia seems to have an additional effect on this development. The management of hypodontia as part of the complete treatment of dental development in DS children is important because it strongly influences the jaw relationship.
