Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the risk of change in the oral microflora and oral health in PD patients.

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) may affect the oral health due to sialorrhoea or changes in saliva as non-motor symptoms of the disease, or due to adverse events of medications. PD patients having sialorrhea that is treated with intrasalivary gland injections of Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BNT-A), may develop decrease of saliva, worsening of the oral hygiene, and increase of dental caries.

Methods: Altogether 38 persons participated in the study: 12 PD patients with sialorrhoea treated with BNT-A injections and performed salivary tests before procedures and one month after the injections, and 13 PD patients, and 13 healthy subjects who were not injected with BNT-A but salivary tests performed once. To assess the oral health condition, amount of saliva, salivary flow rate, and salivary composition were measured.

Results:

A significant decrease of the salivary flow rate was demonstreated in the BNT-A treated group that was the primary aim of treatment. No significant change was found in salivary composition at one month follow-up, that shows preserved microbial status and self-cleaning properties of saliva. Hypersalivation occurs more frequently in PD patients with hypokinetic-rigid subtype of the disease compared to patients with tremor dominant type of PD.

Conclusions:

BNT-A injections can effectively treat sialorrhea while maintaining the oral health condition.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/saliva-changes-and-the-oral-health-in-parkinsons-disease/