Some children with disabilities may have some oral health challenges . These include the following :

• Children with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy  may not  have the motor skills  required to use  a toothbrush effectively or sit in a dental chair during a  visit to the dentist.
• Children with communication disorders such as speech and language delay may not be able to tell their parents  that their mouth hurts or that they have a toothache.
• Children with intellectual disabilities  may not know how to brush their teeth, protect their teeth from injury or cooperate at the dental office when having oral health care.
• Children who have frequent medical care such as doctors visits or hospital stays  may be afraid of the dentist office and as a result not cooperate.
• Children who take medications with added sugar or that causes dry mouth are at increased tooth decay.  Sugar is added to some medication to make the taste better.  Other medications used to treat seizures, cerebral palsy  and depression cause dry mouth  because they lower the amount of saliva in the mouth. Saliva plays an important part in preventing tooth decay. Medicine given to children with medical diseases or disorders such as allergies and asthma can also cause dry mouth.
• Children on special diet are at greater risk of developing tooth decay . Foods that are soft or  high in starch   such as potatoes  stick to the child’s teeth  give caries-causing bacteria in the mouth more time to cause tooth decay.