A PhD completed. Oral health of people with Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Nederlands tijdschrift voor tandheelkunde Vol. 130; no. 7-8; p. 327
• Main Author: Verhoeff, M C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Dutch; English
• Published: Netherlands 11-07-2023
• Subjects: Aged; Face; Humans; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Oral Health; Parkinson Disease - complications; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Parkinson Disease - epidemiology; Quality of Life
• ISSN: 0028-2200
• DOI: 10.5177/ntvt.2023.07/08.23022

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. Because of the higher prevalence of Parkinson's disease in older adults, the hypothesis was that Parkinson's disease patients would have worse oral health. Since the quality of life deteriorates with Parkinson's disease, it is important to study what the influence of the mouth is in this. The aim of this thesis was to further our knowledge of Parkinson's disease and oral health (oral health and its diseases, and orofacial pain and dysfunction). The overall conclusion was that oral health is worse in patients with Parkinson's disease than in healthy patients, with consequences for Oral Health-Related Quality of Life. Furthermore, it is argued that to overcome disease-related problems, interdisciplinary collaboration is needed. However, because this also brings several difficulties with it, the discussion was initiated that if dental and medical students are more often taught together, a natural collaboration would occur.