Huntington’s disease and your oral health

How can Huntington’s disease affect your dental treatment?

Huntington’s disease patients have muscle movements that they can not control.  Some muscles that they can not control are their facial muscles and their tongue. People with Huntington’s disease also have trouble swallowing. People with Huntington’s disease have a hard time brushing their teeth and flossing them. It is important for people with Huntington’s disease to have regular dental visits. These visits have to be as thorough and as often as possible. If you are unable to take care of your mouth and your teeth then you should get a caregiver to do it for you. You should follow a proper diet as well so that you reduce the risks of tooth decay.

In order to decrease your infections and your chances of tooth loss, you must keep your teeth clean and your gums clean. Practicing good oral hygiene is the way to go. People with Huntington’s disease are not supposed to wear dentures because it will be difficult for them to adapt to it. People with Huntington’s disease have violent facial movements. These movements can cause the dentures to break. Moreover, patients with Huntington’s disease must be careful with their dentures because they might swallow them, dislodge them, or eject them from their mouth.

If you are going through dental treatments as a Huntington’s disease patient then you may not be able to keep your mouth open for a long period of time. You may also have trouble sitting still for a long period of time. As much as possible, you should keep your dental appointments short. Your dentist can use mouth props and tongue retractors to minimize the stress on your mouth. If you have to go through sedation then the dentist could treat you in a hospital based dental clinic.

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