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Longitudinal study on oral health in subjects with Alzheimer's disease
1Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Surgery, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor 48109-1078.
Objective:
To examine longitudinal oral health changes in unmedicated, generally healthy subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and compare them to age- and gender-matched healthy, unmedicated control subjects.
Design:
Oral health parameters were evaluated over 2 to 3 years and the results compared between subjects with AD and controls.
Setting:
Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Participants:
Twenty-one community-dwelling subjects with a clinical diagnosis of AD and 21 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Neither population was being treated for any other systemic condition nor taking any prescription medications.
Measurements:
Unstimulated and stimulated major salivary gland flow rates were measured, and gingival, periodontal, dental, and oral mucosal tissues assessed.
Main Results:
In general, subjects with AD demonstrated decreased salivary flow rates and diminished oral health, but most longitudinal changes in oral health status were not significantly different than controls.
Conclusions:
Patients with AD are susceptible to a variety of oral health problems, and progression of AD can lead to a deterioration in oral health and function. These patients require aggressive preventive care to maintain function for as long as possible, which necessitates close cooperation among numerous health care professionals.