{"id":47,"date":"2023-04-01T08:33:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-01T08:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/?p=47"},"modified":"2023-06-24T06:01:30","modified_gmt":"2023-06-24T06:01:30","slug":"protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Help Those with Autism Fight Oral Health Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479.jpg\" alt=\"Symbol for Autism Awareness Day\" class=\"wp-image-48\" width=\"310\" height=\"142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479-300x137.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479-768x351.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>April is here, so many are preparing for its special occasions. These range from Easter Sunday to Earth Day. However, did you know April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? It\u2019s true \u2013 tomorrow honors those on the autism spectrum. As such, use the day to help an affected loved one\u2019s smile. People with autism, you see, are at high risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">oral health issues<\/a>. As for how to assist, your Garland dentist has some advice. Here are autism\u2019s oral health risks and how to manage them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Autism &amp; Oral Health Risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In truth, autism raises one\u2019s odds of having oral problems. This elevated risk, furthermore, persists from childhood onward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main factor is how autism alters behavior. In kids and adults, it often results in bad oral habits, poor food choices, and other difficult actions. Such things damage teeth and gums, as well as interfere with home dental care \u2013 brushing, flossing, etc. Worse yet, autistic patients can be uncooperative at dental visits. They often struggle to stay still and let the dentist do what\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Known Oral Issues for Patients with Autism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the risks, patients with autism may develop some oral issues. The most common of these are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gingival overgrowth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early and late tooth decay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Periodontal (gum) disease<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Teeth grinding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tooth anomalies (i.e., wrong size, shape, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accelerated or delayed eruption of teeth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pits, lines, and other developmental defects in teeth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for Helping Your Loved One\u2019s Smile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, managing your loved one\u2019s oral health risks is possible. To that end, consider the following tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Find the Right Dentist <\/strong>\u2013 If possible, find a dentist who works with special needs like autism. They\u2019ll help your loved one overcome any dental anxiety. (Your local dental provider could even provide a reference.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make Oral Care Easier <\/strong>\u2013 Create an at-home oral care routine that isn\u2019t overwhelming. For example, get your loved one an electric toothbrush, oral irrigator, or even a tooth timer. These items would simplify the teeth-cleaning process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use Positive Reinforcement<\/strong> \u2013 Positive reinforcement rewards good behavior with affirming words or tokens of appreciation. So, try using it to discourage bad oral habits and promote good ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By helping your loved one grin, you\u2019d do much to honor Autism Awareness Day. Therefore, remember the good oral health tips described above!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/\"><em>Town Center Dental<\/em><\/a> <em>is based in Garland, TX<\/em>. <em>Led by <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/meet-the-dentist.html\"><em>Dr<\/em>. <em>Teresa Knott<\/em><\/a><em>, our practice offers personalized dental care for each patient. To that end, we perform custom treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency procedures. You can even count on us for top-quality periodontal therapy and dental sedation. <\/em><em>For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/contact.html\"><em>our website<\/em><\/a><em> or by phone at <strong>(972)-530-5200.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>April is here, so many are preparing for its special occasions. These range from Easter Sunday to Earth Day. However, did you know April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? It\u2019s true \u2013 tomorrow honors those on the autism spectrum. As such, use the day to help an affected loved one\u2019s smile. People with autism, you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Consider Oral Health for Autism Awareness Day | Town Center Dental<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did you know April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? To honor it, consider these ways to protect and enhance your loved one\u2019s oral health.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Consider Oral Health for Autism Awareness Day | Town Center Dental\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Did you know April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? To honor it, consider these ways to protect and enhance your loved one\u2019s oral health.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479.jpg\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"dentalgarland\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/33910d3b0e4e54cedab2f239a25e69c3\"},\"headline\":\"Help Those with Autism Fight Oral Health Issues\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-04-01T08:33:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-24T06:01:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/\"},\"wordCount\":474,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/\",\"name\":\"Consider Oral Health for Autism Awareness Day | Town Center Dental\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/protect-oral-health-for-autism-awareness-day\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_421549649__1685262567_83479.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-04-01T08:33:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-24T06:01:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.towncenterdentalgarland.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/33910d3b0e4e54cedab2f239a25e69c3\"},\"description\":\"Did you know April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? 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