Good oral health is important for children and young people, because it helps prevent issues with their teeth and gums.
While CP doesn’t cause oral abnormalities, it can make oral and dental hygiene more challenging. This is because children and young people with CP can have trouble controlling the muscles that open and close their mouth, and move their lips and tongue.
Oral health challenges can include:
- having trouble chewing and swallowing
- holding food in the mouth for extended amounts of time
- gagging, vomiting or having reflux
- having trouble using a toothbrush or dental floss
- biting parts of the mouth, tongue and cheeks
- having crooked teeth or a poor bite (due to teeth not lining up well).
These issues can result in tooth decay, weakened enamel, gingivitis (gum disease), bad breath, mouth sores or damaged teeth.
Some medications can also affect oral health.
Children and young people with CP who take their food and fluids via a feeding tube still need their teeth brushed and flossed regularly. It is also important to make sure that their lips and all the areas inside their mouth are regularly moistened and lubricated, which will help with gum health, bad breath and overall comfort.
If you are concerned about your child or young person’s oral health, talk to the healthcare team about recommending a dentist or other oral healthcare professional who can do an assessment, develop a treatment plan, and give you tips and techniques to help manage your child or young person’s oral hygiene.
There is some evidence that parents or carers of a child or young person with CP may be hesitant to seek dental care and treatment, because they worry that the visit will be difficult or go poorly. However, there are dentists and oral healthcare professionals who have experience working with children with conditions such as CP.
It is important to find someone who can establish a good relationship with your child or young person, communicate well non-verbally (if required) and accommodate mobility aids, such as a wheelchair.