title: Orofacial function and monitoring of oral care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to assess orofacial function and monitor oral care in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to maintain oral comfort and oral health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series of 14 patients newly diagnosed with ALS accepted to participate in a quality improvement project. After initial examinations, baseline oral conditions were obtained and the patients were seen every 3 months. Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) was used for evaluation of orofacial function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were grouped according to initial symptoms in a bulbar group and a spinal group with eight and six patients, respectively. The mean age at diagnosis was 62.8 years. All were dentate with a mean of 26.7 natural teeth. Most patients had very good oral and dental conditions. As expected, orofacial functions were differently affected in the two groups; at initial NOT-S registration, the mean total score was 5.6 (range 3-8 domains) in the bulbar group and 0.7 (0-2 domains) in the spinal group. At final registration, the corresponding figures were 6.1 and 3.2. Oral and dental aids were introduced according to need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the bulbar group, several orofacial functions became impaired at an early stage of disease development, and at final registrations many vital orofacial functions were severely compromised. The spinal group was less severely affected orally. However, all individuals irrespective of type of initial symptoms needed assistance in performing oral hygiene measures in the latter part of the disease period. Good oral health and oral comfort could be maintained in all participants and no other dental treatment was needed.
authors.affiliation: a National Oral Disability Centre for Rare Disorders , The Institute for Postgraduate Dental Education , Jönköping , Sweden.|b School of Health and Welfare , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bergendal
authors.affiliation: c CLINTEC, Division of Speech and Language Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.|d Functional Area Speech and Language Pathology , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McAllister
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008342:Mandibulofacial Dysostosis / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; NOT-S; oral care; orofacial function