Journal of the Canadian Dental Association
Excerpt from the Article:
Dental care is one of the top unmet health needs of persons with special needs. Research has shown that this population
bears a greater load of oral disease, including caries and periodontitis, than the general population.1-3 With recent evidence demonstrating a strong relationship between oral disease and other general diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, persons with special needs have an increased risk for developing more severe health problems.4-6
Within this context, the need to improve access to oral care for the special needs population is evident. Unfortunately, persons with special needs often have a difficult time finding dental care in their local communities. This situation may exist because some dentists prefer not to treat persons with special needs in their own clinics, due to a lack of familiarity with this population. Dentists may not feel comfortable providing care if they have never had prior interactions with persons who have special needs. Others may wrongly believe that specialized dental equipment is necessary to provide adequate treatment. Whatever the reasons, the reality is that many special needs patients are forced to…
Oral Health, Total Health.
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Did You Know?
-
To ensure proper oral hygiene,
try brushing your teeth
how they grow:
FROM the gum line,
and onto the teeth. -
The gum line is the area most missed when brushing;
coincidently it is
of importance for
one’s oral health. -
The most important
time to brush your
teeth is before
you go to bed. -
You can boil a rubber door stop and try using it as a mouth prop to assist in brushing the
teeth of individuals
who may not be
willing to open
their mouths. -
Use a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste when brushing, it is okay
if this small amount
is swallowed. -
When brushing the teeth of a person with special needs, if possible, have the
individual sit so
you can stand
behind them. -
The oral cavity plays a prominent role in an individual’s quality of life as it pertains to communication, nutrition, emotional expression, taste, social appearance and self-esteem
-
Increasing numbers of people with mental retardation no longer live in institutions, and
are dependent on
dentists in
private practice
for care. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities have greater levels of
periodontal
disease. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities present with a poorer state
of oral hygiene. -
In Ontario, with over 12 million residents; approximately
1.85 million people
have a disability. -
In Canada in 2006, 14.3% of the population had a disability representing
4.4 million people.
