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Is there an association between multiple sclerosis and oral health?

Evidence-Based Dentistry volume 22, pages 44–45 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Data sources PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE and CINAHL.

Study selection Randomised controlled trials, cross-sectional studies and cohort studies.

Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently extracted data using piloted forms and contacted authors if relevant data were missing. Assessment of quality was done using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) for both cohort and cross-sectional studies. The score of NOS ranged from 1-9, where 6-7 is considered moderate quality while 8-9 is high quality.

Results Seventeen studies were included in the review (13 cross-sectional and four cohort). Seven out of 13 cross-sectional studies scored ≤5 which indicates poor quality. The four case-control studies were of moderate quality. Overall, there is limited evidence that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have more dental caries or gingival disease. However, evidence suggests that patients with MS have more risk of periodontal disease and poor oral hygiene. The evidence also suggests a moderate association between MS and temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Conclusions With the exception of TMD, current evidence does not establish an association between MS and most oral health conditions. More high-quality evidence is needed to further explore and establish an association.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    Asim Al-Ansari

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  1. Asim Al-Ansari
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Al-Ansari, A. Is there an association between multiple sclerosis and oral health?. Evid Based Dent 22, 44–45 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-021-0159-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-021-0159-1

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