The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Preparing your child
for their dental visit
Autism & dentistry
Barnsley, Doncaster & Rotherham Community Dental Service
Community Health
Preparing your child for their dental visit
Introduction
Dental visits are important for all children but
unfortunately some children can find a visit to the
dentist a bit daunting. Children on the autistic spectrum
are likely to find dental visits more of a challenge than
other children as they may not cope as well with new
people, situations and/or surroundings. Children on the
autistic spectrum may also have difficulty expressing
when they are in pain.
Ideally all children should start seeing the dentist soon
after their first teeth come through.
Like most things, prevention is better than cure and
we hope to try and help your child become more used
to the dental environment by regular visits. At the same
time we will be able to provide preventive advice and
treatment to minimise any dental problems.
This leaflet will try to answer the questions frequently
asked by carers of autistic children and help you
to prepare your child for their first dental visit.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
Frequently asked questions
How will my child cope in their new
surroundings at their first dental visit?
We are used to seeing children with special needs and
appreciate that behaviour can change from day to day.
We have lots of different ways to help your child cope
with their new surroundings. We also allow more time
to see your child than a general practice dentist might do.
Many children on the autistic spectrum benefit from
picture cards and ‘routines’. Here are some pictures
that you can show your child of a dental clinic and
equipment before their appointment. If you would like
specific pictures of the clinic that you will be attending
prior to your visit, please contact us.
Surgery
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
What will happen at my child’s first visit
to the clinic?
At your child’s first visit we will have a chat with you
and your child so that we can get to know you both a
little better and decide on what treatment (if any)
is needed.
We will use a dental mirror, like the one in the picture
below, to look at your child’s teeth. If you want to have
a trial run ‘pretending to be at the dentist’ before your
child’s appointment then you could use a disposable
mirror at home. These mirrors can be bought at most
large chemists.
Dentist’s mirror
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
We will also use a special light so that
we can see all the teeth really well.
We may also dry the teeth so that we can
see them better using a special air spray.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
I don’t think my child will be able to cope with
dental treatment in the usual way, so what will
happen if they need any fillings or extractions?
Every child is of course different, but where possible we
will try to carry out your child’s treatment under local
anaesthetic (an injection) and/or sedation (laughing
gas). For some children, however, it is not possible to
carry out high quality dental care using these methods
and so a general anaesthetic (going to sleep) might
be needed to allow the treatment to be carried out.
Is my child more at risk from dental decay
than other children?
Children on the autistic spectrum often have a number
of health/behaviour issues that are being managed
at different clinics and so dental care might not be
a priority. Many parents/carers also worry about
how their child might react to a visit to the dentist.
Unfortunately if a child is not seen on a regular basis
then tooth decay might only be noticed when it is more
advanced. This might present as pain and/or swelling
inside or outside the mouth. Many autistic children also
have difficulty expressing pain and so this might delay
treatment being sought.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
Often medication used in autism can contain sugars
and/or can cause a dry mouth, both of which can
increase the risk of decay. If your child is on prescribed
medication it may be worth asking your doctor if there
is a sugar free version.
Autistic children can often be very particular about
what food they eat and when they eat it. This can
lead to more ‘grazing’ (frequent small snacks rather
than regular larger meals), which will increase the
incidence of tooth decay. Changing this routine can
be difficult, particularly if you have got into the habit
of trying to control or reward your child’s behaviour
with sweets. Your dentist can try to help you find
possible alternatives.
Some autistic children are very sensitive about
textures, tastes and sensations inside the mouth
(oral hypersensitivity). This can mean that they do
not like the sensation of brushing or the noise of
an electric brush. For other children the taste of the
toothpaste may be an issue. All of this can make
toothbrushing more difficult and increase the risk
of decay. Your dentist will be able to offer you
some suggestions to make toothbrushing easier
for your child.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
What preventive treatments might
you be able to offer my child?
Preventing decay is easier then treating decay.
For children on the autistic spectrum prevention
is particularly important as some children may
find dental treatment difficult to cope with.
Depending on your child’s individual needs we will
have a close look at your child’s diet and toothbrushing
and see if we can offer any help with these. We will
also be able to advise you about the right type of
toothpaste your child should use.
To help prevent decay we will offer to paint fluoride
varnish onto to your child’s teeth at least twice a year.
Fissure sealants (plastic coatings) can also be placed
on the back teeth to help protect them.
Further information
If we can be of any further help or there are any other
issues you wish to discuss prior to your child’s visit,
please telephone the clinic on the number on your
appointment card.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
We value your comments
If you have any comments or concerns about the care
we have provided, please let us know, or, alternatively,
you can write to:
Patient Services
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Rotherham Hospital
Moorgate Road
Oakwood
Rotherham
S60 2UD
Telephone 01709 424461
Email [email protected]
If you require this document in another language,
large print, braille or audio version, please contact
Patient Information on 01709 424281.
Produced by The Department of Dentistry October 2011.
Revision due October 2013. Version: 1.0
©The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 2011.
All rights reserved.
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Preparing your child for their dental visit
How to contact us
Rotherham Community Dental Clinic
Greasbrough Road
Rotherham S60 1RY
Telephone 01709 423110
11
Sustainable Forests / Low chlorine
Dentistry
LS 38 10/11 V1 WFO
Rotherham Hospital
Moorgate Road
Oakwood
Rotherham
S60 2UD
Telephone 01709 820000
www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk