The Quality of Life for People with Parkinson’s Disease in Relation to Their Oral Health

The present study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the oral health status and the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease. The Decayed, Missing, Filled (DMFT) index and the quality of life questionnaire for people with Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39) were used as evaluation instruments. Sixty-two people with a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease between stages 1 and 3, age between 46 and 86 years, of both sexes, with an average time of disease evolution of 7 years, participated in the study. Data were evaluated using the Pearson’s correlation test, and one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). The mean DMFT obtained was 23; there was no correlation between the DMFT values and the total score of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 neither in its domains, nor between the DMFT and the stages of Parkinson’s disease (p = 0.61). We found that the oral health of parkinsonians is deficient due to the high number of missing teeth, but their perception of quality of life is favorable despite their motor limitations related to mobility, and activities of daily living.