Dental Care and Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affects the control of movement. Many people with cerebral palsy may develop poor dental care because of behavioral and physical problems that are caused by the condition.

People with cerebral palsy may not be able to brush their teeth properly, have difficulty chewing or swallowing their food, and may not be able to communicate toothaches or other sensations, which can result in serious dental problems.

Research has indicated that there are some specific dental concerns linked to different types of the condition. People with spastic cerebral palsy have restricted facial movements and a hypertonic tongue, which thrusts during swallowing and speaking making tooth brushing very difficult.

Those who have athetoid cerebral palsy may suddenly open their mouths wide, causing dislocation of the jaw. In addition, the uncoordinated movements of their facial muscles makes good dental care hard to maintain.

People with hypotonic cerebral palsy have reduced muscle tone, which weakens facial movements and causes the upper lip to be inactive leading to dental alignment problems.

dditionally, it has been found that some people who suffer from cerebral palsy have severe brain damage and learning disabilities, and often exhibit destructive oral habits including:

· Bruxism – clenching and grinding of the teeth

· Rumination – re-chewing, regurgitating, and re-swallowing food that has already been ingested, which causes stomach acids to travel to the mouth resulting in the loss of tooth structure

· Pouching – keeping food or medicine in the cheek pocket for long periods, which may cause tooth decay

· Pica – compulsively ingesting non-edible substances leading to tooth destruction and damage of soft tissue

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, it is extremely important to help them maintain good oral hygiene. Because the condition makes brushing teeth difficult, a special handgrip toothbrush or electric toothbrush is recommended for those with manual problems.

Regular dental check-ups are also very important. Try finding a dentist who has experience treating people with cerebral palsy. In some cases, a qualified dentist may recommend special dental devices that can help correct the alignment of the teeth and jaw or protect the mouth from more damage.