Bells Palsy and your oral health

Bell’s Palsy is characterized by temporary paralysis of some of your facial muscles. It can come to you very quickly and it may also come overnight. This often affects one side of your face only. On the paralyzed side of your mouth, food particles can build up. You should keep this in mind and make sure that your mouth is always clean. Dental hygiene is important. You should make sure that your dentures are clean if you have any. On the paralyzed side of your face, you will also experience a decrease in your sense of taste and a decrease in the production of saliva.

You should visit a dentist or a doctor if you have Bell’s Palsy and find out the cause. Some of the causes include Lyme disease, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and some ear tumours. As much as possible, you should postpone any elective dental treatment until the paralysis has gone away. If your dental treatment can not be postpones then special dental tools will be used to control the paralyzed areas of your mouth. If you are unable to close your eyes properly then you should see an optometrist as well. You may have to protect your eyes using lubricated eye drops, a patch, or by using some ointments. Consider wearing protective eyewear when you go through dental treatment so that you keep all the debris away and out of your eyes.