Multiple sclerosis and oral health: an update.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, neurodegenerative disease seen in 69.1 per 100,000 person-years in the world. As multiple sclerosis and periodontal disease both have an inflammatory origin, dental professionals should be aware of the link between these two diseases. In patients unable to carry out effective oral hygiene, dental treatment should be done by dental hygienists and/or dentists to prevent dental caries and periodontal disease. It is hoped that by identifying multiple sclerosis patients in dental clinics, the required support and treatment could be provided to these patients to improve their quality of life and that dental professionals would feel comfortable treating patients with multiple sclerosis.