Neuromuscular Diseases and Oral Health: ‘Nemo is Gold’ Project Results
- Milan, Italy - A new initiative is making dental and oral care more accessible and safer for individuals living with neuromuscular diseases.
- For people with neuromuscular conditions,maintaining oral health presents critically important challenges.
- The project focuses on a high-complexity area of care, striving to make safe, accessible oral healthcare a standard practice for all patients.
oral Health Project Improves Care for Neuromuscular Disease Patients
Milan, Italy – A new initiative is making dental and oral care more accessible and safer for individuals living with neuromuscular diseases. The ‘Nemo è oro’ (Nemo is gold) project, launched in April 2025, has already provided care to 83 patients, addressing a critical and often overlooked aspect of their overall health.
For people with neuromuscular conditions,maintaining oral health presents critically important challenges. Opening the mouth can be difficult, managing saliva can be risky, and even routine procedures can become painful or impossible. The project, a collaboration between the Nemo Clinical Center and Niguarda Hospital in Milan, with support from Uildm, Famiglie sma, Aisla, Parent Project, and Asamsi, aims to change that.
Addressing a Complex Need
The project focuses on a high-complexity area of care, striving to make safe, accessible oral healthcare a standard practice for all patients. Disease progression often complicates even simple treatments, impacting nutrition, respiration, and overall well-being.
“Oral health is closely linked to infection prevention and the overall well-being of people with neuromuscular diseases,” explains Valeria Sansone, Clinical and Scientific Director of the Nemo Clinical Center. “Demonstrating that safe intervention is possible solidifies an evidence-based clinical approach, transferable to practice and useful to centers, professionals, and families, with a concrete impact on quality of life.”
Early Results
In its first nine months, the ‘Nemo è oro’ project has provided care for 83 individuals. According to project reports, 43 patients have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
The project’s organizers emphasize the importance of integrating oral health into complete neuromuscular care. They hope to expand the program and share their findings to improve care standards nationally and internationally.