Which of the following is a potential oral health problem after a stroke?

• A. Dysphagia
• B. Improved tongue function
• C. Increased oral clearance of foods
• D. Reduced risk of caries

Answer: (A)

Dysphagia is the key concept here because stroke often damages the neural control of the muscles involved in swallowing, leading to impaired swallowing function. This swallowing difficulty is a common oral health problem after a stroke and has several dental implications: it can cause food to pool in the mouth, increase the risk of aspiration during meals or dental care, and make daily oral hygiene more challenging. The other statements don’t fit the typical post-stroke pattern—tongue function is usually weakened rather than improved, the clearance of foods from the mouth is generally reduced rather than increased, and caries risk is not reduced and may actually rise due to diet changes, saliva differences, and hygiene challenges.