Abstract
Objective:
To analyze the issue of teeth brushing according to age, gender and length in Slovak patients with multiple sclerosis disease (MS).
Material and Methods:
In this descriptive study, the questionnaires were collected in neurologists from December 2016 until September 2017. The study sample consisted of 103 MS patients (44.7% of men) in the mean age of 38.4 ± 9.95 years. The study sample of MS patients was divided into two sub-groups. The first sub-group consisted of MS patients who were restricted in teeth brushing (n=56) and the second group of MS patients, which had no restrictions in teeth brushing (n=47). Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the absolute and relative frequencies, mean and standard deviation. A two-sample t-test was used to compare the proportion between sub-groups with restrictions and sub-group no restrictions in teeth brushing. The statistically significant level was determined at p<0.05.
Results:
The significant higher mean age (40.4 ± 10.8 years) was found in MS patients who had restrictions in teeth brushing (p=0.043). Females described often no restrictions in teeth brushing than males (59.6% vs. 40.4%; p<0.05). Length in MS disease (≤3 years) has a significant impact on patients who were not found restrictions in teeth brushing (31.9%; p=0.037).
Conclusion:
We recommend an individual doctor approach to MS patients in older age and using of electric toothbrushes in MS patients who have hand functioning restrictions.
Keywords:
Nervous System Diseases; Multiple Sclerosis; Oral Hygiene; Toothbrushing