October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, while it is important for everyone to have good dental care, those with Down Syndrome may require special attention.

The National Down Syndrome Society shares why those with this chromosomal disorder have special needs when it comes to oral health.

Delayed tooth eruption, for both baby and permanent teeth. It is also common, they erupt in a different order than children who don’t have Down Syndrome.

It is also not usual to have smaller teeth with shorter roots and even missing teeth, which makes routine dental care very important.  They tend to have large tongues or a small upper jaw, making dental work more difficult.

Due to impaired immune system, those with Down syndrome are at an increased risk for periodontal disease or gum disease.

To complicate matters, many of those with Down’s syndrome have bite problems and low manual dexterity, which often results in poor oral care.

All this makes getting dental care very important, but it can also be taxing and even traumatic for someone with Down Syndrome.

IV  sedation is a safe way to provide dental care for someone with developmental disabilities. It is especially helpful if there are several procedures that need to be preformed. A single appointment can take care of everything

Sedation dentistry has been playing a major role in helping improve the dental experience for many people, old and young alike.

“Intravenous sedation is an effective and safe alternative for some individuals with Downs Syndrome and may improve the quality and scope of the dental treatment provided.” according to Research Gate, Medical Problems and Oral Care of Patients with Dwons Syndrome.

“One study showed that tooth wear, mainly dental erosion, was significantly more frequent among persons with Downs Syndrome (67%) than in the general population of children of a similar age (34%). Most of the children with Down Syndrome showed severe to very severe wear associated with gastric reflux and vomiting.”

With over 20 years of experience bringing hospital level sedation to the dental office, licensed and certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Dwayne Thibeault, understands you may have concerns about having your child sedated for a dental procedure. Please call Blue Sky Solutions with any questions and to schedule an appointment.