cerebral palsy and your oral health

How will cerebral palsy affect your dental treatment?

Cerebral palsy refers to a group of body movement disorders that came about because of some brain injury. It does not become worse as time progresses. Children who have cerebral palsy have more defects in the enamel of their teeth. There is no known cause of this. Also, the teeth of children with cerebral palsy could look greenish. Moreover, their permanent teeth can come in really late. Those with cerebral palsy can experience one or more of the following dental problems

  • malocclusion or the improper coming together of the upper and lower teeth

  • bruxism or the severe grinding of the teeth. This will wear the teeth down and may require repair later on

  • your front teeth may be damaged because of falls

  • you will have trouble controlling plaque, chewing, and swallowing food which will increase the risk of tooth decay and gingivitis

  • you will have trouble controlling your oral, facial, and neck muscles. This can result in overproduction of saliva and drooling

  • your tooth enamel will be underdeveloped

Some cerebral palsy patients take anti-seizure medicines which could cause overgrowth of the gums. If you want to control the growth of your gums then you must practice good oral hygiene. If the growth of the gums is severe then you may have to go through gum surgery or what others refer to as gingivectomy. If the overgrown gum tissue in your mouth is not treated then the bones supporting your teeth may change. This could even result in the loss of your teeth. Your gums should recede if you stop taking the medications although if the gum growth is severe then you may still have to go through gum surgery.

Those with cerebral palsy could use some help getting into the dental chair. In order to keep yourself comfortable, your dentist may provide you with pillows or other stabilizers. If you are unable to get in and out of your wheelchair then your dentist may treat you while you sit on your wheelchair already. If your cerebral palsy is severe then you may have to be treated in the hospital.

Usually, dentists will have assistants that will help you stay relaxed throughout your dental procedure. You could experience difficulty opening your mouth for long period of time or experience difficulty controlling your tongue movements. In order to address these problems, your dentist will use several devices. A rubber bit block or a mouth prop can be inserted between your teeth so that your mouth is kept open. This will reduce the stress in your mouth muscles. A tongue retractor can be used to control the movements of your tongue. A thin piece of rubber or a rubber dam could be stretched over your teeth so that you do not inhale any external elements while you go through the dental treatment.

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