What some experts say about maintaining dental health

Parkinson Foundation

Maintaining dental health is important for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD symptoms can complicate dental care. People living with PD can face serious consequences from oral ailments. Quickly addressing dental difficulties can help you continue to live well.

From: https://www.parkinson.org/Living-with-Parkinsons/Managing-Parkinsons/Dental-Health

Treating Dental Issues

Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms can affect mouth, teeth and jaw health, sometimes complicating dental treatment.

PD-related rigidity, tremor and dyskinesia can make it hard to brush one’s teeth. These symptoms can also cause cracked teeth, tooth wear, changes in the fit and wear of dentures and tooth grinding.

Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety and tremor can make the commute to appointments, sitting still in the dentist’s chair or opening the mouth wide challenging.

Too much saliva can lead to a fungal infection at the corners of the mouth. By contrast, too little saliva or dry mouth increases the risk of cavities.

From: https://www.parkinson.org/Living-with-Parkinsons/Managing-Parkinsons/Dental-Health/Treating-Dental-Issues

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Davis Phinney Foundation

Managing dental health and Parkinson’s is an integral part of living well. Regular dental care can minimize your risk of experiencing pain and discomfort, but most importantly, it can reduce the risk of infection, which can be a significant stressor on the body when coupled with Parkinson’s-related challenges.

In this post, we provide essential information and tools so you can learn more about dental health and Parkinson’s and improve your dental health.

--- https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/why-is-dental-health-so-important-in-parkinsons/

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APDA Oral Health guide

Good dental health is important for everyone. People with Parkinson’s experience symptoms which may impact their oral health. Individuals may have excessive saliva in the mouth due to a decrease in swallowing. Some people may have a very dry mouth as a side effect of their medications. Finally, brushing and flossing teeth regularly and completely may be difficult due to the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s. Regular visits to the dentist are important, preferably with a dentist who understands the special needs of a person with Parkinson’s. The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) is an excellent resource to identify dentists who treat the special needs of certain populations. You can call the MDS at 800-342-8747

From: https://d2icp22po6iej.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/APDA-Oral_Health.pdf

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If you have had DBS invasive dental hygiene procedures may be contra-indicated if there is the

potential for electrical energy transmission or electromagnetic interference (EMI) from dental/dental hygiene equipment that could affect operation or safety of the implanted DBS system. Certain activities and equipment are to be avoided.

From: https://www.cdho.org/Advisories/CDHO_Factsheet_Deep_Brain_Stimulation.pdf

The Latest in Parkinson’s Medications

This article has a current annotated list of PD medications.

Excerpted and read more from --> https://www.parkinson.org/blog/awareness/latest-pd-medications-taking-personalized-approach

From renowned singer Linda Ronstadt to former NBA player Brian Grant, the faces of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are as diverse as the symptoms. While there can be common themes — such as slowed movement (bradykinesia) or stiffness (rigidity) — each person’s PD experience is unique, making individually tailored therapy vital. Fortunately, the list of medications and treatments that improve quality of life for people living with PD continues growing.

This article is based on a Parkinson’s Foundation Expert Briefing Parkinson's Disease & Medication - What's New presented by Vanessa K. Hinson, MD, PhD, Movement Disorders Program director, Medical University of South Carolina, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence.

Lower Back Pain And Parkinson’s Disease

I have a 30 to 40-year history of episodes of bad back pain. Episodes occurred every two to three years. Typically, a week or two after starting, the back pain went away as mysteriously as it came. Recently I had a six-week-long period of intense lower back, hip, leg, and knee pain. It was OK when lying on my back, but sitting, standing, and walking was impossible. My phone app was telling me that I was averaging 30 steps per day for almost six weeks. After many types of diagnostics and treatments, I am finally almost pain-free and gaining my strength back.

I wondered if this episode could have been aggravated by the Parkinson's symptoms I've had for the past nine years. Is there a link between back pain and PD? Are there treatments for back pain that would be particularly good or bad for PD? This article from the ADPA

"Lower Back Pain And Parkinson’s Disease" by Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, helped me answer those questions and summarizes the things you can do to help alleviate your back pain.

Yes, that is an MRI of my spine