Title
Oral Health Care for Children and Youth With Developmental Disabilities
Authoring Organization
Publication Month/Year
July 22, 2024
Last Updated Month/Year
July 23, 2024
Supplemental Implementation Tools
Document Type
Consensus
Country of Publication
US
Document Objectives
Oral health is an essential component of overall health for all individuals. The oral health of children and youth with developmental disabilities (CYDD) involves unique characteristics and needs of which pediatricians and pediatric clinicians can be aware. Risk for oral disease in CYDD is multifactorial and includes underlying medical conditions, medications, and ability to participate in preventive oral health care and treatment, and lack of access to providers is common for this population despite being eligible for Medicaid. Pediatric clinicians are uniquely positioned to support the oral health needs of CYDD and their families through the medical home. This clinical report aims to inform pediatric clinicians about the unique oral health needs of CYDD. It provides guidance on assessing caries risk and periodontal status using structured screening instruments; understanding dental trauma, the role of diet and caries risk, trauma prevention, and malocclusion; and providing anticipatory guidance on oral hygiene that includes tooth brushing, use of fluoridated toothpaste, assessing community water fluoridation, advocating for a dental home by 1 year of age, and transition to adult dental care as part of adolescent health care. It also highlights special considerations for dental treatment rendered under sedation or general anesthesia that CYDD may need. Pediatric clinicians can help reduce risk of CYDD developing dental disease by understanding the unique needs of their patients and their barriers to accessing oral health care in their community, communicating with the child’s dental home, and advocating for safe and accessible dental procedures.
Inclusion Criteria
Male, Female, Adolescent, Child
Health Care Settings
Ambulatory
Intended Users
Dentist, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant
Scope
Management
Keywords
dental caries, dental trauma, developmental disabilities
Source Citation
Elise Sarvas, Jessica Webb, Mary Landrigan-Ossar, Larry Yin, SECTION ON ORAL HEALTH, COUNCIL ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, COMMITTEE ON PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE; Oral Health Care for Children and Youth With Developmental Disabilities: Clinical Report. Pediatrics 2024; e2024067603. 10.1542/peds.2024-067603