Did you know that aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality for people with Parkinson disease? This is due to difficulty swallowing. Aspiration pneumonia is a lung infection that can occur if substances are swallowed incorrectly and enter the lungs. This is known as “aspiration”. Food, liquid, medication, or saliva are examples of things that could be aspirated.

Surprisingly, oral hygiene plays a role in aspiration pneumonia. This is because bacteria in the mouth is likely to mix with food and liquid. If food or liquid is aspirated into the lungs, then it can bring the bacteria with it. In fact, research suggests that oral health is a crucial factor in whether someone might develop aspiration pneumonia. If someone has good oral care, then they have a lower risk for aspiration pneumonia.

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS (SLPS)

Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) specialize in both communication and swallowing. Importantly, SLPs assess and treat swallowing disorders to improve safety and further reduce a person’s risk for aspiration pneumonia. 

Jasmine Cload is an SLP who works with Parkinson disease and movement disorders. Jasmine is the first Canadian selected by the International Movement Disorders Society to become an official trainer for other healthcare professionals. This allows Jasmine to share her knowledge so that people with Parkinson disease can receive a higher quality of care.