Periodontal treatment in a patient with generalized idiopathic dystonia

Dystonia is a neurological disorder that can cause constant muscle contractions and motor limitations. This work reports a clinical case of periodontal treatment in a patient with generalized idiopathic dystonia. The intraoral clinical examination was focused on the presence of caries and periodontal diseases. The plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were measured. Initially, oral hygiene instruction was provided using a soft conventional toothbrush and dental floss, but the clinical results achieved using these methods were inadequate. Alternative methods of plaque removal were offered, such as the use of a power toothbrush and a dental floss fork, which resulted in improvement in the PI, PD, and BOP and allowed the patient to undergo periodontal surgery for the restoration of subgingival caries. Our results suggested that generalized idiopathic dystonia leads to motor limitations that may cause difficulty with regard to plaque control, but adaptations of the methods used for oral hygiene may improve the oral health conditions in these patients.