All are seen in a child with cerebral palsy except:
Correct Answer: Fluorosis
Description: Dental problems related to Cerebral Palsy
Dental Problems
Several conditions are more common in these children than in the normal population.
Dental Caries
Most children may have a higher caries rate than normal children. This may be due to their inability to maintain good oral hygiene, due to the parent's tendency to overindulge them with soft and cariogenic food, and to the increased prevalence of enamel hypoplastic defects on their teeth.
Periodontal Disease
Occurs with a great frequency, as the patient is unable to brush or floss adequately. Due to difficulty in chewing and swallowing, children tend to eat soft foods that are high in carbohydrates. They may also be on phenytoin to control seizure activity which is a cause of some degree of gingival hyperplasia.
Malocclusions
Occurs twice as often than in the average population. Commonly noticed are protrusion of the maxillary anterior teeth, excessive overjet and overbite, open bites and unilateral cross-bites, the cause being the disharmonious relationship between intraoral and perioral musculature. In spastics, Class II div 2 malocclusion is observed, along with constricted maxillary and mandibular arches. In the athetoid group, Class II div 1 malocclusion is seen along with a high and narrow palatal vault.
Bruxism
Commonly seen in athetoid cerebral palsy resulting in severe attrition, loss of vertical dimension and temporomandibular joint disorders.
Trauma
Due to the nature of disorder, these children are susceptible to trauma, especially of the maxillary anterior teeth.
Children may have excessive drooling and difficulty in swallowing.
Spastic cerebral palsy patients present with spastic tongue thrust, constricted mandibular and maxillary arches, Class II div II malocclusion (75%) usually with a unilateral crossbite.
Athetoid cerebral palsy patients present with a mouth breathing, tongue protruding between the teeth and the lips, bruxism, high narrow palate and anterior open bite.
Pediatric Dentistry / Shobha Tandon - 2nd Ed P: 543
Category:
Dental
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