Parkinson's disease and oral health: A systematic review

Objective: in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), oral health can be affected by motor and non-motor symptoms and/or medication use. Therefore, the aim was to systematically review the literature on oral health and associated factors of oral health in PD patients.

Design: a literature search was performed from inception up to April 5th, 2023. Original studies that assessed oral health-related factors in PD patients and were written in English or Dutch, were included.

Results: 11276 articles were identified, of which 43 met the inclusion criteria (quality range poor-good). A higher prevalence of dental biofilm, bleeding/gingivitis, pocket depth (≥4 mm), tooth mobility, caries, and number of decayed missing filled teeth/surfaces was found in PD patients than in controls. However, no difference between both groups was found when analysing edentulism and wearing dentures. Poor oral health of PD patients was associated with a longer disease duration, higher disease severity, and more prescribed medications.

Conclusions: oral health of PD patients is worse than that of healthy individuals. It is associated with the duration and severity of PD and medication use. Therefore, we advise regular appointments with oral health care professionals, with an important focus on prevention.