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A diagnosis of autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or other neurodivergence shouldn’t mean a child misses out on essential dental care.
Navigating Dental Visits for Neurodivergent Children
Many parents delay or avoid dental appointments for their neurodivergent children due to fears surrounding sensitivities to noise, light, or physical examination.
- postponing dental care can lead to substantially compromised oral health in children with neurodevelopmental differences.
- Preparation is key: talking to children about what to expect during a dental visit can reduce anxiety.
- Dentists can adapt their approach to create a more comfortable experience, including adjusting lighting and reducing noise.
- Sedation is a safe option for complex cases, always administered under a multidisciplinary approach.
Often, this hesitancy backfires. When these children finally do see a dentist, their oral health is already in serious trouble. For dentist Jazmín Blanco Limón, a specialist in orthodontics and maxillofacial orthopedics, preventative care is paramount. “The importance of children going to the dentist is to take care of their oral health from the beginning, so that the treatments are conservative and non-invasive,” she explains.
One of the most frequent missteps, Blanco Limón notes, is assuming a child will “grow out of” dental anxieties or that minor issues will resolve themselves. “This is a mistake. The longer you wait, the more complex the treatment becomes, and the more anxiety the child will experience,” she warns.
In more complex cases – such as children with level 3 autism, communication difficulties, or challenges with self-regulation – sedation can be considered, always as part of a multidisciplinary approach. “Sedation is not a risk when it is done professionally. The child is monitored at all times and allows several treatments to be resolved in a single appointment, always taking care of their integrity
