Dentist Tips

Dentist Tips

The fact is that children with autism have the same
rate of dental problems as the general population.

As hard as it is for most children to go to the
dentist, it’s even harder to have a positive dental
experience for autistic children.

Even so, there are some things you can do to improve
the dental experience for your child.

Visit the dentist’s office before an actual visit.

Have the child touch the equipment and explain to
the child what will happen.

Have the child bring a comfort item like a favorite
toy or blanket.

It is a good idea to have a gradual and slow exposure
to the environment of the dental office so your
child doesn’t get frightened by the experience.

Make sure you tell the dentist how best to handle
your child.

Tell them what works and what doesn’t work when
working with your child.

Remind the dentist that autistic children are more
easily overwhelmed by an overload of the senses,
which can over stimulate the child.

Ask that the dentist keep the chaos in the office
to a minimum.

Make the child’s first visit to the dentist positive
and short.

Have the dentist count the teeth or something else
innocuous.

Ask that the dentist approach the child as quietly
and as non-threatening as possible.

Have the dentist explain everything to the child and
show the child what’s going to happen before actually
doing it.

Praise the child for acceptable behavior and have
the child sit in the dental chair for awhile so they
become accustomed to it.

Autistic children want to know what’s coming next
without having to be surprised.

Have the dentist tell the child where and why he
needs to touch the child, especially if you’re
dealing with dental equipment.

Ask that the dentist talk calmly and avoids words
that have double meanings.

Autistic children take everything literally so it’s
important to say exactly what you mean.

Ask the dentist to start the exam using only his
or her fingers and that they avoid shining the
light out of the patient’s eyes.

Using a toothbrush to examine the teeth is a good
idea because it’s a safe, familiar item.

The dentist can use a dental mirror after that.

Ask if you can hold your child’s hand during the
dental examination.

Anything that is familiar will make for a good
experience.

Some autistic children respond well to being lightly
wrapped in a papoose board during the examination.

In other cases, the child will need sedation or will
need to undergo general anaesthesia in order to
accomplish any significant dental work.

General anaesthesia is especially important in older
children that don’t respond well, even to light sedation.

The Parenting Autism Resource Guide: A Complete Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed With Autism.