Orofacial evaluation in patients with multiple sclerosis using Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Orofacial Medicine
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease impacting the central nervous system.
• Orofacial dysfunctions can affect quality of life in various neurological conditions.
• The Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) is a tool for assessing orofacial functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit higher rates of orofacial dysfunctions than the general population.
• To investigate the relationship between MS disability, disease duration, and orofacial function.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 34 patients with MS and 34 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.
• The Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) was administered to all participants.
• Correlation analyses were performed to assess the impact of disability and disease duration on NOT-S results.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in orofacial function were observed between MS patients and controls.
• No significant correlation was found between disability or disease duration and orofacial function (NOT-S scores).
• A significant correlation was noted between disease duration and the degree of disability in MS patients.

Conclusions:

• Orofacial dysfunction does not appear to be directly correlated with multiple sclerosis, despite some domain-specific differences.
• Health professionals should remain aware of potential orofacial dysfunctions in the MS population.
• Further research may explore specific orofacial domains affected in MS.