Oral Hygiene Care For Special Needs Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that dental care is the most unmet need for special needs kids. In fact, children will special needs are more than twice as likely to suffer from untreated dental problems than their peers. We here at Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry want to improve the dental health of Dover, New Hampshire’s children, especially those who need it most: children with special needs.

Dental Healthcare Among The Special Needs Population

Below are a few of the understandable reasons why those with special needs may go without dental healthcare:

• Lack of handicap access into dental buildings
• Difficulty finding the right dentist to understand and care for their child’s special needs
• Financial strain, especially because of numerous medical bills
• Higher priority given to other medical needs over dental problems
• Difficulty finding the proper transportation to the dentist’s office

While we understand these reasons and can sympathize with the difficulty of each, we also realize that children who suffer from special needs may be even more susceptible to dental problems.

Special Needs Children & Their Vulnerability To Cavities

Kids with special needs require even more dental health care. This is because:

• They often require medications that contain sugar or cause dry mouth as a side effect
• They may have difficulty chewing and swallowing, meaning debris can be left in the mouth
• Weakened mouth and tongue muscles, inhibiting the cleaning of their oral surfaces
• An inability to perform their own at-home oral hygiene routine

Here at Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry, it’s important to us that your special needs child receive adequate dental healthcare. Please contact our Dover, NH office today for more information on how we can assist your family’s oral health needs.