F.1. ORAL CARE IN HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE

B Ahlborg, Å Mårtensson, A Carlsson. Mun-H-Centre, Medicinaregatan 12A, SE-413 90 Göteborg, Sweden

Background: The Mun-H-Centre is a Swedish national orofacial resource centre for rare disorders and a national resource centre for orofacial aids and assistive devices. Since 1999 the authors have been members of the Huntington’s disease (HD) team at Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra in Göteborg and because of that have had the unique opportunity of treating a number of patients with the diagnosis of HD.

Aim: To collect, document and develop information relating to rare diagnoses and to circulate this knowledge as a contribution to ensure that patients with rare disorders receive better treatment and can have an improved quality of life.

Methods/Techniques: Dentists and dental hygienists at Mun-H-Centre have followed 20 patients with HD and observed oral problems over time. At Mun-H-Centre there is a multiprofessional team for trying out orofacial assistive devices to patients with disabilities. The team members represent occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech–language pathology and dentistry.

Result/Outcome: Our experiences are documented and illustrated as follows: orofacial symptoms, risk factors for deterioration of oral health, preventive dentistry and cooperation with the patient’s personal assistants, treatment in the dental chair, examples of orofacial aids and assistive devices for oral care, eating and drinking.

Conclusions: It is important for a person with HD to see a dental team regularly in order to maintain a good quality of life through a healthy mouth, for the purpose of speaking and communicating as well as eating and enjoying meals. Preventive dentistry from an early stage of the disease and orofacial assistive devices that can compensate for lack of function are recommended.

F.2. NEW TOPICS FOR HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE IN EUROPE?

Project team for the network around Huntington’s disease in the region of Västra Götaland, Sweden. Klinisk Genetik, Medicinaregatan 1 D, SU/Sahlgrenska, 413 45 Göteborg, Sweden

Background: During our project we have …