Kieser J, Jones G, Borlase G, MacFadyen E
Department of Oral Sciences and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin.
N Z Dent J. 1999 Dec;95(422):130-4.
Neurodegenerative disorders are among the most challenging and devastating illnesses in medicine. A heterogeneous group of chronic and progressive diseases, they include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Dentists faced with patients affected by one of these disorders are confronted with the major problems of cognition, mobility, and behaviour, as well as of dental maintenance. While treatment of patients with progressive neurodegeneration remains daunting, increased knowledge of the aetiology and pathogenesis of these diseases has provided new opportunities and a new understanding of their treatment needs. In this article, we briefly describe the effects of ageing on the brain, and introduce two of the major neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The dental problems associated with these conditions include a decrease in oral hygiene, difficulty in controlling and retaining dentures, and purposeless chewing. Medications can result in xerostomia and consequent root caries and recurrent decay. Where possible, individuals with neurodegenerative disorders should always be treated by the same dentist.
神经退行性疾病是医学上最具挑战性和破坏性的疾病之一。它们是一组异质性的慢性进展性疾病，包括阿尔茨海默病、帕金森病和亨廷顿病。面对患有这些疾病之一的患者，牙医面临着认知、行动能力和行为以及牙齿维护等主要问题。虽然对进行性神经退行性变患者的治疗仍然令人生畏，但对这些疾病病因和发病机制的了解增加，为其治疗需求提供了新的机会和新的认识。在本文中，我们简要描述衰老对大脑的影响，并介绍两种主要的神经退行性疾病——阿尔茨海默病和帕金森病。与这些疾病相关的牙科问题包括口腔卫生下降、控制和佩戴假牙困难以及无目的咀嚼。药物治疗可能导致口干，进而引发根龋和复发性龋齿。只要有可能，患有神经退行性疾病的患者应始终由同一位牙医进行治疗。
