Abstract
We report a case of early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis （ALS） due to dysarthria after prosthetic treatment. The patient was a woman in her 50s who visited our hospital with complaints of dysarthria and dysphagia. After prosthetic treatment at a dental clinic, the patient became aware of difficulty in swallowing and speaking. An intraoral examination at our department revealed fasciculation of the tongue and oral hypofunction. Since the patient’s father had died of ALS, we suspected ALS and referred her to the Department of Neurology, where she was diagnosed with ALS. The present case suggests that dentists may be able to assist in the diagnosis of ALS in the early stage of the disease and contribute to early intervention in oral hygiene management.
