Jaw Problems With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that can cause several jaw problems. This disease affects the normal functioning of muscles, including the muscles that control the jaw. Parkinson's patients may experience difficulties performing everyday jaw movements.

Chewing

• According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson's disease patients may have problems with normal chewing and swallowing of food.

Clenching

• Sufferers of Parkinson's disease may have difficulty clenching their jaws, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Jaw Opening

• Individuals with Parkinson's disease may not be able to open the jaw as wide as they could before they had this disease.

Movement Speed

• Parkinson's disease patients may not be able to open and close their mouths as quickly as they could prior to the onset of the disease.

Levodopa

• Patients with Parkinson's disease who have jaw functioning problems may experience improvements from treatment with levodopa, a medication for patients with neurological problems from Parkinson's disease. Levodopa increases the patient's dopamine levels.