Comments on: Nothing to Smile About http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:19:37 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jill Cornfield http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-1/#comment-565220 Jill Cornfield Sat, 02 May 2009 13:42:13 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565220 I used to take "papoosing" as a given, but after you and other people have written I think there is another way. Your instincts were right on! Thanks for writing... my son is just 11, so I don't think it's too late to try to get him used to sitting in a dentist's chair. Increasing the amount of attention we pay to his teeth at home is also good, I think. It sends a message that we're not going to give up! I used to take “papoosing” as a given, but after you and other people have written I think there is another way. Your instincts were right on! Thanks for writing… my son is just 11, so I don’t think it’s too late to try to get him used to sitting in a dentist’s chair. Increasing the amount of attention we pay to his teeth at home is also good, I think. It sends a message that we’re not going to give up!

]]> By: Jill Cornfield http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-1/#comment-565208 Jill Cornfield Sat, 02 May 2009 13:40:27 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565208 He can't understand the reasons for dental care, but I think he already gets that it feels better to have a clean mouth. I think using the water pik is making him notice a difference. I'm glad to hear your brother is patient with kids who have disabilities - I think this is one of the great, unsolved areas of special needs, really good and effective dental care without restraint and fear. I think occupational therapists could be doing much more to help desensitize kids to sitting in a dentist's chair and opening their mouths. He can’t understand the reasons for dental care, but I think he already gets that it feels better to have a clean mouth. I think using the water pik is making him notice a difference. I’m glad to hear your brother is patient with kids who have disabilities – I think this is one of the great, unsolved areas of special needs, really good and effective dental care without restraint and fear. I think occupational therapists could be doing much more to help desensitize kids to sitting in a dentist’s chair and opening their mouths.

]]> By: Jill Cornfield http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-/#comment-565207 Jill Cornfield Sat, 02 May 2009 13:37:53 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565207 Thanks for the advice - I hope to avoid some rough dental situation in the future by paying very close attention now... MUCH closer than we've been paying, I admit. We thought it was good he was willing to do his own brushing, till I realized his teeth looked a little scummy and it came home to me that he's actually doing a pretty bad job. I think the water pik is going well: his teeth and gums look a bit better. He is only 11, after all. Not too late! I think the increased attention to all things dental also sends him a message about how important we think this is. Thanks for the advice – I hope to avoid some rough dental situation in the future by paying very close attention now… MUCH closer than we’ve been paying, I admit. We thought it was good he was willing to do his own brushing, till I realized his teeth looked a little scummy and it came home to me that he’s actually doing a pretty bad job. I think the water pik is going well: his teeth and gums look a bit better. He is only 11, after all. Not too late! I think the increased attention to all things dental also sends him a message about how important we think this is.

]]> By: Lori http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-1/#comment-565221 Lori Sat, 02 May 2009 01:13:52 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565221 I have a son with developmental delays. My 8 year old son was terrified of the dentist because of being papoosed. I have very strong feeling against it. After much searching, we found a wonderful ped dentist who lets my son be her last appointment on a Friday - we come often - worked our way from having her looked at his mouth in the waiting room to going into the exam room. He will now open his mouth and let them brush, floss and scale his teeth. We are working our way up to getting him to sit on the exam chair. Keep looking for someone who will work with you and your son. Someone who celebrates the achievements with you. She doesn't take insurance - we pay and sent the stuff to insurance to see what they will pay - but she is worth every penny! Good luck. You are not alone! Lori I have a son with developmental delays. My 8 year old son was terrified of the dentist because of being papoosed. I have very strong feeling against it. After much searching, we found a wonderful ped dentist who lets my son be her last appointment on a Friday – we come often – worked our way from having her looked at his mouth in the waiting room to going into the exam room. He will now open his mouth and let them brush, floss and scale his teeth. We are working our way up to getting him to sit on the exam chair. Keep looking for someone who will work with you and your son. Someone who celebrates the achievements with you. She doesn’t take insurance – we pay and sent the stuff to insurance to see what they will pay – but she is worth every penny! Good luck. You are not alone! Lori

]]> By: Leslie http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-1/#comment-565217 Leslie Fri, 01 May 2009 22:52:31 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565217 Your son can't understand why he needs to take proper care of his teeth. It's likely that his mouth will be a horror show by the time he's 25 unless he's restrained in the dental chair. You have to choosing the lesser of two evils. If he can't brush and floss and he can't sit still while the dentist works on his teeth he'll need to be papoosed or sedated. My brother is a dentist and he sees a few kids with disabilities. They all freak out when they see the chair. He's patient and kind and he plays videos for the kids and they still act like he's about to torture them to death. My kids are normal and while they don't like going to see their uncle in his professional capacity they put up with it in the interest of having healthy teeth. I'm sorry you're having this problem. Your son can’t understand why he needs to take proper care of his teeth. It’s likely that his mouth will be a horror show by the time he’s 25 unless he’s restrained in the dental chair. You have to choosing the lesser of two evils. If he can’t brush and floss and he can’t sit still while the dentist works on his teeth he’ll need to be papoosed or sedated.
My brother is a dentist and he sees a few kids with disabilities. They all freak out when they see the chair. He’s patient and kind and he plays videos for the kids and they still act like he’s about to torture them to death.
My kids are normal and while they don’t like going to see their uncle in his professional capacity they put up with it in the interest of having healthy teeth. I’m sorry you’re having this problem.

]]> By: Johanna E http://www.blisstree.com/articles/nothing-to-smile-about/comment-page-1/#comment-565250 Johanna E Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:50:14 +0000 http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/?p=4471#comment-565250 Boy, have we been there! My 23-year-old son had his first cleaning this month that didn't involve sedation, restraint or being completely knocked out. Most of his dental work has been done under anesthesia - that includes cleanings - and neither our dental or health insurance or Medicaid will pay for it. Anesthesia is not medically necessary, although the dentist may disagree if she wants to keep her fingers. David apparently brushes his teeth about as thoroughly as Alex, so he's had to have a lot of work done - root canals, extractions and fillings. I now help him brush, but at 23 he has finally begun to understand the consequences of his poor dental hygiene. When he allowed the dentist to do his cleaning with him totally conscious and unrestrained, I felt we may have turned the corner. He still doesn't brush at all well, though, even if he does realize he needs to. His idea of brushing and mine are worlds apart. My advice is to keep working at it at home and keep trying out dentists in the hopes he'll eventually accept the cleanings. Restraining will just break your heart and scare him. I only allowed that once, years ago, and I still feel guilty. Boy, have we been there! My 23-year-old son had his first cleaning this month that didn’t involve sedation, restraint or being completely knocked out. Most of his dental work has been done under anesthesia – that includes cleanings – and neither our dental or health insurance or Medicaid will pay for it. Anesthesia is not medically necessary, although the dentist may disagree if she wants to keep her fingers.

David apparently brushes his teeth about as thoroughly as Alex, so he’s had to have a lot of work done – root canals, extractions and fillings. I now help him brush, but at 23 he has finally begun to understand the consequences of his poor dental hygiene. When he allowed the dentist to do his cleaning with him totally conscious and unrestrained, I felt we may have turned the corner.

He still doesn’t brush at all well, though, even if he does realize he needs to. His idea of brushing and mine are worlds apart.

My advice is to keep working at it at home and keep trying out dentists in the hopes he’ll eventually accept the cleanings. Restraining will just break your heart and scare him. I only allowed that once, years ago, and I still feel guilty.

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