Be extra careful about your teeth consider a water pik. Folks with PD have among other things nighttime breathing issues that dry out and subsequently cause tooth decay.
According to the National Parkinsons Foundation, Parkinson’s disease can affect oral health in a number of ways. As facial muscles become impacted by the condition, it can change the way a person speaks and chews, which can be compounded if the patient also has missing teeth or toothaches.
Not being able to chew food properly because of dental problems can lead to an increased risk of choking as some may experience problems swallowing larger pieces of food. Aspiration (inhaling particles of food or drink) could also lead to the development of dangerous lung infections such as pneumonia.
If the patient is also taking medications to suppress the immune system for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, these may increase the risk of infection if they have any dental problems such as cavities, inflamed gums, loose teeth, or abscesses.
Regular visits to the dentist, as well as twice daily brushing and flossing (or properly cleaning dentures), will help to eliminate most dental problems.
parkinsonsnewstoday.com/201...
Disorders of the Oral Cavity in Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonian Syndromes
Yair Zlotnik,1,2 Yacov Balash,1 Amos D. Korczyn,1,3 Nir Giladi ,1,3 and Tanya Gurevich 1,3
Abstract
Awareness of nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is growing during the last decade. Among these, oral cavity disorders are, although prevalent, often neglected by the patients, their caregivers, and physicians. Some of these disorders include increased prevalence of caries and periodontal disease, sialorrhea and drooling, xerostomia, orofacial pain, bruxism, and taste impairment. Though many of these disorders are not fully understood yet and relatively few controlled trials have been published regarding their treatment, physicians should be aware of the body of evidence that does exist on these topics. This paper reviews current knowledge regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment options of disorders of the oral cavity in Parkinson’s disease patients.