How MS Can Affect Your Oral Health

By Shira Isenberg, RD, MPH – Medically Reviewed by Jason Paul Chua, MD, PhD

People who have MS are more likely to develop dental disease, but certain tools and techniques can help you take proper care of your teeth.

Because multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder, many people may not realize that it can affect oral health as well. The symptoms of MS can interfere with proper care of the teeth and gums, as can some medications used to treat MS symptoms, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS).

“Multiple sclerosis can affect motor function and motor coordination,” says Payam Kashani, DDS, of Gentle Family Dental in Queens, New York. People can lose the ability to control their muscles well, Dr. Kashani adds.

“To have good oral hygiene, you need good manual dexterity to brush and floss properly. People with MS are not always able to do that well,” Kashani explains.

With some careful planning and adjustments to their routine, people who have MS can maintain healthy oral hygiene.

MS Can Pose Challenges to Dental Hygiene

Adequate oral self-care can be difficult for people with MS for a number of reasons.

• Your MS-related health needs may distract you from taking proper care of your teeth and gums.
• Fatigue and mobility problems are common symptoms of MS, notes the NMSS. People with significant mobility impairment or fatigue may find regular dental visits too challenging to manage.
• Certain symptoms of MS can make it difficult to properly care for your teeth and gums. Fatigue, spasticity, weakness, tremor, facial pain (trigeminal neuralgia) and sensory changes (numbness, tingling, pain) in the hands can affect brushing and flossing. One study found that close to 90 percent of 500 subjects, all of whom had MS, had some form of facial or mouth-related symptom (including numbness or pain).
• Some medications used to treat MS symptoms can cause dry mouth (xerostomia), which in turn can cause bacteria to accumulate. According to a study conducted in Poland, the most frequent oral health symptoms among patients with MS were dry mouth (43.2 percent) and bleeding from gums (28.1 percent). Both dry mouth and bleeding from the gums were found to be more frequent in people with longer-lasting and more advanced types of MS.

Why Dental Hygiene Is Vital for Good Health

Research shows that people who have MS have high rates of dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease.

These problems can impact overall health in a number of ways.

“Good oral hygiene has been shown to be very important,” says Kashani. “Studies have demonstrated links between periodontal disease caused by poor oral hygiene and heart disease, diabetes, and other types of disease that are modulated by inflammatory processes.”

In addition, when the mouth, gums, and teeth are not in good condition, eating and digesting healthy, nutritious foods becomes more challenging, according to the NMSS.

Poor oral hygiene may lead to infection, which can worsen MS symptoms, notes the NMSS. Furthermore, good oral hygiene also impacts your smile and appearance, which play a role in self-esteem.

Click here to continue reading

=================