Special Care Dentistry Flashcards
Topics covered : Patients with learning/physical disabilities and autism, AWI, Adult support and protection act and other key legislations, Dentistry for the medically compromised patient, anxiety management
What reasons may make a patient unable to accept routine dental care therefore requiring referral to Special Care?
Due to:
- Physical Impairment
- Intellectual Impairment
- Medical Impairment
- Emotional Impairment
- Sensory Impairment
- Mental Impairment
- Social Impairment
- Or a combination of the above
This can involve:
- Learning/Physical disability
- Care for elderly
- Medically compromised
- Mental health issues
- Dentally anxious or phobic
Before treating any patient what 2 factors are important to consider?
- Is it safe?
- e.g. MH and how it may impact their tx. - Is it legal?
- does the pt. understand
- have we checked
- do they have capacity
- do we need consent from someone other than the pt.
- who can we contact and how?
The 2010 Equality Act states that it is against the law to discriminate against someone because of?
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
A person with a disability is defined as having a physical/mental impairment.
Note the 6 most common impairments:
- Mobility
- Stamina/breathing/fatigue
- Dexterity
- Mental health
- Hearing
- Vision
List 6 causes of physical disabilities:
- Inherited or genetic
- Conditions present at birth
- Serious illness affecting the brain, nerves, or muscles
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injury
- Accidents
List 2 inherited/genetic disorders that can cause a physical disability:
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Dentinogenesis imperfecta
What physical affects can Osteogenesis imperfecta have on the patient?
- Increased bone fractures
- Collagen defects
- Short stature
- Hearing loss
- Blue sclera
- Dentinogenesis imperfecta
What physical affects can Dentinogenesis imperfecta have on the patient?
- Discoloured teeth - blue/grey or yellow/brown
- Translucent
- Teeth are weaker
- Bulbous crowns
- Obliteration of pulp chambers
- Reduced root length
List 2 conditions present at birth cthat can cause a physical disability:
- Spinal Bifida - neural tube defect
- Cerebral palsy - general term for several neurological conditions
What physical affects can Spinal Bifida have on the patient?
- Weakness or total paralysis of the legs
- Bowel and urinary incontinence
- Loss of skin sensation
- Hydrocephalus
- In most cases normal intelligence but learning difficulties associated with hydrocephalus
- Repeated fits or seizures
- Drooling problems and dysphasia
- Communication and learning difficulties
- Not progressive, life expectancy not affected
What physical affects can Cerebral palsy have on the patient?
Affects movement and coordination:
- Muscle stiffness or floppiness
- Muscle weakness
- Random and uncontrolled body movements
- Balance and coordination problems
List 3 serious illnesses that affect the brain, nerves or muscles:
- Motor neurone disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
What physical affects can Motor Neurone Disease have on the patient?
Lethal degenerative disease affecting neurons - can cause:
- Muscular atrophy, weakness & spasticity
- No sensory loss
- Dysphasia and drooling can occur, affecting speech
- Death within 5 years due to respiratory arrest
What physical affects can Multiple Sclerosis have on the patient?
Chronic relapsing CNS disease affecting the corticospinal tract and myelin sheaths:
- Optic Neuritis can lead to blindness or visual disturbance
- Weakness or paralysis of limbs
- Nystagmus (jerky, oscillating movement of the eyes)
- Ataxia (affects coordination, balance, speech)
- Dysphasia
- Loss of sphincter control leading to urinary incontinence
- May present as V neuralgia or facial palsy
What physical affects can Parkinsons disease have on the patient?
Progressive neurological disease causing:
- Dopamine deficiency
- Tremor in arms/hands - pill rolling
- Rigidity in movement
- Slow movements and restlessness
- Expressionless face and stooped posture
- Hyper-salivation resulting in drooling of saliva
List and describe the 2 different levels of spinal cord injuries:
- Tetraplegic
- damage to the spinal cord in the neck
- affects all four limbs and torso - Paraplegic
- damage to the mid/lower part of the back
- affects legs and lower body
List 5 causes of spinal cord injuries:
- Falls
- RTAs
- Sports injuries
- Trauma
- Work-related accidents
List 2 different causes of brain injury:
- External events:
- closed head trauma
- missile penetrating the brain - Internal events:
- Stroke (CVA - cerebrovascular accident)
- Tumour
List 8 clinical features of stroke:
- Face drooped on 1 side
- Weakness/numbness in 1 arm
- Dysphagia
- Aphasia - unable to communicate
- Dysarthria - Slurred speech
- Sudden loss/blurring of vision
- Confusions
- Sudden and severe headache
How might a stroke affect a patients dental health?
- Difficulty wearing dentures
- Difficulty brushing teeth
- Giving consent
- Accessing surgery (wheelchair)
What acronym can be used when identifying a stroke?
F - face drooping
A - arms weakness
S - speech difficulty
T - time to call 999
What outcomes from accidents (e.g. RTAs, falls, sports injuries) can affect a patient’s physical ability?
- Missing limbs
- Prosthetic limbs
- Reduced manual dexterity
- Stick/zimmer
- Wheelchair
What IQ number classifies someone as having a learning disability?
<70
List 6 other features that might be associated with a learning disability:
- Epilepsy
- Visual defects
- Hearing and speech disorders
- Facial deformities
- Body rocking and self-mutilation
- Feeding difficulties