Cerebral palsy: Oral manifestations and dental management

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is a set of non-progressive neuromuscular disorders caused by defects in the developing fetal brain. Its prevalence is about 2:1000. Although CP does not directly result in any particular oral abnormalities, some conditions are more prevalent or severe in CP patients than in the general population. The purpose of a paediatric dentist is to promote overall oral health wellness and to motivate parents and other primary caregivers to practice good oral hygiene at home. The aim of this article is to provide a general overview of dental health issues that affect people with CP and to analyze key preventative and practical management techniques for this common comorbidity.

Dental Care Evaluation Among Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Special School Survey in Karachi

“…The findings of the current study demonstrated that parents of children with cerebral palsy need more instruction on how to maintain their children's oral hygiene and how to effectively clean their teeth with an electric toothbrush because parental education and brushing frequency were significantly correlated with three clinical indicators, including PI, GI, and OHIS. Programs for parents having children with disabilities in oral health care have also been advocated by other studies [22][23] .…”