Special Needs Care in Burton

Some symptoms of special health care needs include:

• Extreme fear of the dentist: Dental anxiety can cause avoidance of the dentist because it leads to heightened feelings of distress and fear. Your child may require the use of dental sedation so that they do not continue to avoid the dentist and neglect their oral health care needs.
• Bad breath: If your child has severe, lingering halitosis that doesn’t respond to brushing, flossing, mints, or mouthwash, then your child may have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes or an infection. This can affect their oral health. 
• Dry mouth: Having dry mouth means that your child’s saliva production is being decreased for some reason, which suggests that there is an underlying medical condition like diabetes or is a side effect of medication. Dry mouth increases your child’s risk for cavities and gum disease. 
• Food pouching: Children with sensory disorders may find certain food textures and flavors offputting and hold them in their mouths longer than they should. However, this increases their risk of cavities.
• Mouth breathing: Mouth breathing carries a host of negative effects on your child’s oral and overall health. If your child breathes out of their mouth, they are at an increased likelihood of having a sleep breathing disorder like sleep apnea and bruxism, which can damage their teeth.

Schedule Your Child’s Special Needs Dental Appointment Today!

If your child has special needs, we are more than happy to accommodate their physical, emotional, and medical needs to foster a comfortable, trustworthy, and compassionate environment for them. Contact us at Sunflower Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ying An.

If your child requires dental sedation but also takes medication to treat a medical condition, this may affect their eligibility to be a candidate for sedation. The medications in the sedative may be something your child is allergic to, can react with existing medications that they take, or increase the risk of complications if they affect their breathing or heart rate. 

Be aware that certain medications like cough syrups can be loaded with sugar which may be more appealing to your child but can increase their risk of cavities. Other medications cause dry mouth as a side effect, inhibiting saliva production. 

This can also increase cavity risk because saliva neutralizes the acidity of your mouth to protect your enamel against acid attacks and it also washes away left-behind food particles. Please let us know about any medications that your child takes so we can make alterations to their treatment plan as needed and inform you about what could be negatively affecting their oral health.

If your child has physical limitations or a sensory disorder, you can start by choosing the right toothbrush. Let your child choose their own toothbrush so they can choose something that they like to use. 

However, make sure the bristles are soft and that it’s dexterity-friendly. This may mean choosing a larger handle toothbrush or an electric toothbrush which takes less work. Show your child how to thoroughly brush their teeth by demonstrating it to them and then encourage them to do it on their own. 

Even when your child can brush their own teeth, monitor them to ensure that they’re brushing for at least 2 minutes and using the right technique. Children with certain physical disabilities may need you to brush their teeth for them. 

Only use the age-appropriate amount of fluoride toothpaste that is no more than the size of a grain of rice before the age of 3. Children 3 to 6 years, old can use a pea-sized amount.