Emergency Dental Work: Topics, Tricks and Tips

Posted on: 11 June 2018

If your child has autism, then you face different challenges to other parents during certain childhood milestones. For example, getting any child to agree to wear orthodontic braces and to take care of them can be difficult; this can be a very tricky problem for parents of autistic kids, especially if your child has oral sensitivity issues. How can you decide if your child can tolerate braces?

How Does Your Child Manage Oral Hygiene?

Some autistic kids have no problem maintaining good oral health standards. They understand the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy and they may even like the daily routine of brushing and flossing. Keeping your teeth, gums and braces clean is an important part of the orthodontic process, especially if your child will have permanent train-track braces fitted. So, if your child is willing and able to do this, then having braces may not be such a big deal for them.

How Does Your Child Feel About Braces?

It's important to give your child some control over whether to wear braces or not. Orthodontic treatment stands a much better chance of being successful if the patient wants to be braced or, at the very least, understands why bracing is necessary. If your child accepts that the treatment is a good thing or actively wants straighter teeth, then braces shouldn't be a problem. In some cases, however, your child may be resistant to braces, especially if their autism comes with oral sensitivity issues.

Tip: If your child is anxious about having braces fitted or wearing them, then it may help to have your dentist or orthodontist talk to your child about how the process works. This would go some way to demystifying the treatment and making it more understandable.

Does Your Child Have Oral Sensitivity Issues?

Some autistic children have an increased sensitivity to certain sensory inputs. For example, some kids may find brushing or flossing uncomfortable or they may have an increased gag reflex if anything unusual goes into their mouths. Plus, some kids have oral comfort ticks, such as habitually chewing on pencils or pen tops. Any of these issues may make braces less feasible.

For example, if your child is currently not able to clean their teeth correctly because of oral sensitivity, then regular orthodontic braces may not be a good fit right now. If you don't or can't keep your teeth really clean while you're wearing braces, plaque may build up around the brace's brackets which could ultimately damage tooth enamel. An over-sensitive gag reflex may make it harder for an orthodontist to put the braces in; this may also prove to be too distressing for your child. Oral ticks can also damage braces over time.

If you don't think that your child can handle braces, then ask your dentist or orthodontist for advice. In some cases, it may be better to wait a while until your child is older or until you have had time to make them comfortable with the idea of wearing braces. Your dentist or orthodontist may also have experience of oral sensitivity problems and may be able to recommend ways to manage and minimise this sensitivity so that your child can wear braces in the future.