Everything You Need to Know About Dental Care for Children with Special Needs

As a parent, you should want what’s best for your little one—and this includes ensuring that their teeth are in the best health possible! This can only be achieved by regular oral hygiene coupled with routine dental visits; however, if your child has special needs or disabilities, it might be more difficult for them to maintain a bright and problem-free smile. Continue reading below to learn more about dental care for children with special needs and how you can go about keeping your child’s smile radiant and healthy!

What Makes Dental Care Difficult for Children with Special Needs?

To put it simply, children with special needs may experience increased anxiety and fear of visiting their dentist, as well as a higher risk of developing dental hygiene problems. This means that certain children may need extra help to care for their teeth—especially younger children with emotional, physical, communication, or behavioral disabilities. They might not have the fine motor skills to clean their teeth well on their own, or they might struggle to undergo even the most basic of dental treatments.

How Can I Ensure My Child Maintains a Healthy Smile?

There are numerous things you can do to help your child with special needs maintain a healthy and radiant grin. Here are four tips to keep in mind:

• Establish a daily oral hygiene routine – This is crucial for all children, including infants. Children need to be brushing and flossing daily, and as a parent, you have a lot of control when it comes to helping them establish and maintain a consistent routine. Help them as needed and ensure that they’re not skipping any steps or missing any days. You might also consider oral hygiene aids designed for children; toothbrushes with thicker handles, or toothbrushes with straps, might prove useful.
• Make things fun – Even though regular oral hygiene is pretty important, your child shouldn’t view it as a chore; as a parent, it helps to make things fun! Sing a song while brushing with your child, count out numbers or spell out the alphabet, or even incorporate a story into your child’s brushing session to liven things up for them and make them want to spend the time caring for their teeth.
• Educate your child about their smile – It’s worthwhile to educate your little one about the merits of oral hygiene and the risks of cavities, tooth decay, and other oral health problems if they’re mature enough to comprehend them. Show them the ropes at an early age and help them understand what to expect later on!
• Find an experienced and trustworthy dentist – Finding a pediatric dentist who can patiently meet your child’s needs can drastically improve their visit when it comes to their routine checkups and cleanings. Try to establish a lasting relationship with the practice if you can; taking your child back to the same office and staff each visit will help make things easier for all parties involved!

About the Practice

The talented team at Kids Dentist has proudly served families in the Grayslake, IL community for several years, offering a wide range of services aimed at treating children of all ages and with all types of needs. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to arrange a visit for your child, feel free to contact the team online or over the phone for additional information or assistance. Telephone: (847) 223-1400.