Special Smiles: Common Dental Concerns for Kids with Unique Needs

Children with special needs often have unique challenges to overcome that can make caring for their teeth and gums particularly difficult. Different factors like genetic disorders and prescription medications can interfere with their dental development, and different physical and neurological disabilities can impact their daily activities, including whether they can successfully complete an at-home dental hygiene routine.

Continue reading to learn more about 3 common oral concerns among children with special needs to help prevent them!

Concern #1: Delayed Tooth Eruption

Would you be surprised to learn that certain medical disorders can cause children to experience delayed tooth eruption? Most kids grow their first tooth around one year of age, but different genetic syndromes, like Down syndrome, metabolic and endocrine disorders, or other conditions like autism or cerebral palsy, can cause their primary teeth to arrive later, when they’re closer to two years old.

Not only that, but immunosuppressants and antihypertensive medications can cause excessive gum tissue overgrowth that can sometimes interfere with your kid’s teeth as they struggle to push through the gumline. Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies can also impact their dental development.

Concern #2: Dental Malformations

Unfortunately, your little one’s condition might not only delay their dental development but could also cause abnormalities like growing extra or malformed teeth. These variations are often the result of an underlying genetic concern that can also impair their motor skills or intellectual abilities, like Down syndrome.

Certain disorders, like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and craniofacial anomalies, can also negatively affect their dental development. Kids with these conditions may be more likely to have dental agenesis, or missing teeth, or even grow more than usual!

Concern #3: Tooth Decay

Many children with special needs are at a significantly increased risk of having cavities for several potential reasons. Many prescription medications contribute to issues like dry mouth, which allows unhealthy bacteria to thrive and erode the enamel. Furthermore, they might struggle to keep their teeth and gums clean due to physical or intellectual impairment or mobility challenges. This spells double disaster for their dental health by significantly increasing their vulnerability to common oral issues like cavities, gum disease, and other injuries from weakened enamel.

Whatever your child’s unique circumstances, you can help avoid potential oral pitfalls by scheduling regular checkups with a pediatric dentist with experience working with special needs patients. They’ll know how to work around mobility concerns, utilize accessible dental products, and take a personalized approach to help safeguard your kid’s still-developing smile!

About the Practice

At Bear Creek Family Dentistry, you and your family benefit from a team of dentists dedicated to helping children build and maintain healthy grins. With general dentists and specialists on the team, they can help with everything from basic preventive services to more complex procedures. They are experienced working with kids with special needs and take a compassionate and caring approach to help put them at ease. Then, they tailor treatments to each child’s unique situation to provide the necessary treatments to protect and preserve their teeth and gums. You can request an appointment for your child on the website or by calling one of their several convenient locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.