- Parkinson's and its medicines can cause a dry mouth, drooling, swallowing difficulties, a burning mouth and trouble with dentures, and can make cleaning your teeth harder.
- A bigger handle, an electric brush or brushing in stages can help.
- Tell your dentist you have Parkinson's and bring a list of all your medicines. The Parkinson's Foundation (US) suggests short appointments at the time of day your symptoms are best controlled.
- Advice on mouthwash differs: Parkinson's UK suggests a daily fluoride mouthwash, while the Parkinson's Foundation says mouthwash is usually discouraged because of the risk of choking. Ask your dentist.
- A speech and language therapist can help with swallowing and drooling. Coughing or choking when you eat or drink needs prompt medical advice.
healthdirect Australia describes Parkinson's disease as a condition that mainly affects movement and mood and gets worse over time, because nerve cells in the brain cannot make enough dopamine. Parkinson's UK says both the symptoms and the medicines can cause problems with the mouth and teeth, and the Parkinson's Foundation says nearly half of people with Parkinson's find daily mouth care difficult because of stiffness and tremor.
Parkinson's Australia says mouth diseases are largely preventable, but that evidence-based guidelines on oral health in Parkinson's are currently limited. Much of the advice below comes from Parkinson's charities.
How can Parkinson's affect your mouth?
Parkinson's UK lists a dry mouth, a burning feeling in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, drooling, difficulty controlling dentures, difficulty cleaning your teeth, more tooth decay, and gum disease.
The Parkinson's Foundation adds that Parkinson's can change how the face and tongue muscles work, affecting speech and chewing. After some years on levodopa, a medicine the NHS says most people with Parkinson's eventually need, some people develop dyskinesia (involuntary movements), which can affect the jaw and lead to cracked teeth and grinding. See teeth grinding. It also says apathy, depression and forgetfulness can mean less attention to mouth care.
Dry mouth
Parkinson's UK says some Parkinson's medicines can make the mouth dry, and the Better Health Channel (Victoria) lists medicines for Parkinson's among those that reduce saliva. A dry mouth raises the risk of tooth decay, gum disease and oral thrush (Parkinson's UK).
Parkinson's UK suggests frequent sips of cold water, sugar-free sweets or gum, lip balm, taking dentures out at night, cutting down on caffeine and avoiding mouthwashes with alcohol. If you think a medicine is the cause, speak to your specialist or Parkinson's nurse, and always talk to your doctor before stopping any prescribed medicine. See dry mouth and medicines that affect your mouth.
Drooling
Drooling is common in Parkinson's, but the sources explain it differently. The NHS calls it "excessive production of saliva", and healthdirect lists increased saliva production among the symptoms. Parkinson's UK says it happens because you swallow less, so saliva pools and overflows; Parkinson's Australia points to poor lip closure, reduced swallowing and a head-down posture.
Drooling can make the corners of the mouth sore and infected (angular cheilitis). Parkinson's Australia says saliva that enters the airway raises the risk of aspiration pneumonia, a chest infection caused by breathing something into the lungs.
Parkinson's UK suggests lip exercises, such as closing your lips tightly for a count of four, five times. NICE (England) says to offer speech and language therapy for swallowing or saliva problems. If that is not available or has not worked, it says a medicine such as glycopyrronium bromide can be considered, and referral for botulinum toxin injections. Parkinson's UK notes some drooling medicines can dry the mouth.
Swallowing and chewing
Parkinson's UK says swallowing can be harder because the jaw and face muscles become weak or stiff, or as a side effect of some medicines. The Parkinson's Foundation says poorly chewed food raises the risk of choking, and suggests eating and drinking upright with small bites and sips. In the UK you can refer yourself to a speech and language therapist (Parkinson's UK).
Burning mouth
Parkinson's UK says some people with Parkinson's have a burning feeling in the mouth, which some medicines can cause, among many other causes; Parkinson's Australia says it is rare. See burning mouth syndrome.
Making brushing easier
For grips and aids, see cleaning your teeth when gripping is hard; if someone else brushes for you, see caring for someone else's teeth. Tips for Parkinson's:
- Fluoride. Parkinson's UK suggests toothpaste with 1,350 to 1,500 ppm fluoride, last thing at night and one other time, spitting out without rinsing. Your dentist may prescribe a stronger one.
- Split the job. If brushing is tiring, clean part of your mouth in the morning and the rest in the afternoon (Parkinson's UK).
- Grip. Try a bigger handle, a three-sided brush or an angled head (Parkinson's UK). The Parkinson's Foundation suggests soft bristles, a small head, and pushing the handle into a bike handlebar grip or tennis ball.
- Electric brush. Parkinson's UK says its extra weight may reduce hand tremor. Parkinson's Australia suggests an electric brush or switching hands.
The Parkinson's Foundation suggests brushing after every meal, or rinsing with water when you cannot; Parkinson's UK says at least twice a day.
Parkinson's UK suggests a daily alcohol-free fluoride mouthwash at a different time from brushing, such as after lunch. The Parkinson's Foundation says mouthwashes are typically discouraged in Parkinson's because of the risk of choking, and to ask your doctor or dentist whether one is safe; if swishing and spitting are hard, a dentist may apply fluoride with a brush or sponge instead. Both advise against products containing alcohol.
Dentures
Parkinson's UK says dentures can become hard to control because of weaker control of the face muscles, a dry mouth or pooling saliva, and loose dentures can rub and cause sores. See your dentist if they are loose or uncomfortable. It and the Parkinson's Foundation suggest cleaning dentures over a sink of water or a soft surface, so they do not break if dropped. See dentures.
Dental visits
Before you go. Parkinson's UK says to tell your dentist you have Parkinson's and how it affects you, bring a list of all your medicines, and explain your medicine routine so you keep getting the right doses around treatment. The Parkinson's Foundation says to mention MAO-B inhibitors such as rasagiline or selegiline, which may interact with anaesthetics.
Timing. The NHS describes "on-off" effects of long-term levodopa, when a person switches between being able to move ("on") and being unable to move ("off"). The Parkinson's Foundation suggests short appointments at the time of day your symptoms are best controlled; its fact sheet suggests mornings, about 60 to 90 minutes after a levodopa dose. It also suggests keeping the dental chair more upright to make swallowing easier.
How often. The Parkinson's Foundation suggests check-ups every 3 to 6 months; Parkinson's UK says your dentist will advise. The Parkinson's Foundation suggests replacing old fillings, crowns and poorly fitting dentures early on, as visits may get harder later.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS). Parkinson's UK says to tell your dentist, who will check with your specialist whether you need antibiotics before treatment such as having a tooth out.
Getting the right care.
- UK: Parkinson's UK says most dentists can treat people at all stages. Your dentist can refer you to special care dentistry or the Community Dental Service, and you can ask about home visits or, if you have dyskinesia, sedation.
- Australia: Parkinson's Australia suggests a GP referral to a dentist with Parkinson's experience, or your state Parkinson's organisation, and names the Australia New Zealand Academy of Special Needs Dentistry for finding a special needs dentist.
- US: the Parkinson's Foundation says Medicare does not cover dental care (some Medicare Advantage plans offer a limited benefit), and most Federally Qualified Health Centers have a dental department with income-based fees.
Where to get support
- UK: Parkinson's UK helpline, 0808 800 0303 (free; Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm), as listed by the NHS.
- Australia: Parkinson's Australia infoline, 1800 644 189, as listed by healthdirect.
- US: the National Institute on Aging lists the Parkinson's Foundation, 800-473-4636, and the American Parkinson Disease Association, 800-223-2732.
- Your dentures are loose, uncomfortable or rubbing (Parkinson's UK).
- Your mouth feels dry most of the time, or you have a burning feeling (Parkinson's UK).
- You have DBS and need dental treatment such as a tooth out.
- The corners of your mouth are sore or red: Parkinson's UK suggests your GP or Parkinson's nurse.
- The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you cough or choke when eating or drinking, have a wet or gurgly voice after eating, are short of breath after eating or drinking, or get lots of chest infections.
- A possible dental abscess needs an urgent dental appointment (NHS). Call 999 or go to A&E (or your local emergency number) if you find it hard to breathe, speak or swallow, or have a lot of swelling in your mouth (NHS).
Frequently asked questions
Why is my mouth so dry?
Some Parkinson's medicines can reduce saliva (Parkinson's UK, Better Health Channel). Tell your dentist and your specialist or Parkinson's nurse, and do not stop a medicine without talking to your doctor.
Can a dentist treat me if I have a tremor?
Usually, yes. Parkinson's UK says most dentists can treat people at all stages of Parkinson's, and can refer you to specialist care or discuss sedation if needed.
Sources
- Mouth and dental changes, Parkinson's UK, accessed September 2026
- Looking after your oral hygiene when you have Parkinson's, Parkinson's UK, accessed September 2026
- Dental health, Parkinson's Foundation (US), accessed September 2026
- Dental health in PD, Parkinson's Foundation (US), accessed September 2026
- 10 tips for improving dental health with Parkinson's, Parkinson's Foundation (US), accessed September 2026
- Dental and oral health, Parkinson's Australia, accessed September 2026
- Dentist, Parkinson's Australia, accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
- Teeth and medication, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease: symptoms, NHS, accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease: treatment, NHS, accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease: living with, NHS, accessed September 2026
- Dysphagia (swallowing problems), NHS, accessed September 2026
- Dental abscess, NHS, accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease in adults (NG71): recommendations, NICE, accessed September 2026
- Parkinson's disease: causes, symptoms, and treatments, NIH National Institute on Aging, accessed September 2026
This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.