Oral hygiene in scleroderma: The effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary intervention program.

Purpose: To investigate whether oral hygiene improves after persons with scleroderma received structured oral hygiene instructions and facial and hand exercises.

Methods: Seventeen persons with scleroderma received a baseline dental evaluation including an examination for decayed or missing teeth, calculus, sites that bleed upon probing, measures of oral aperture, and the Patient Hygiene Performance Index. Upper extremity functioning including strength, joint motion, and dexterity were also measured.