Evaluating dental status and prosthetic need in relation to medical findings in Greek patients suffering from idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is one of the common neurological conditions which predominantly affects the elderly but increasingly also younger people. Sufferers present persistent problems with oral health aggravated by extensive tooth loss leading to an impaired dentition. Greece and other countries experiencing the same demographic trends, face growing numbers of sufferers. This study surveyed the dental status and the need for dental treatment of a sample of Greek patients with Parkinson's disease. A structured questionnaire was used. 30% of the participants were younger sufferers. 80% of the elderly group were young elderly. 98% of the participants were denture wearers. Extensive oral problems were recorded in all participants.