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 Through
performing an oral screening, health
professionals can demonstrate to parents
the growth and development of the
infant’s or child’s mouth
and can determine oral health status.
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Through performing an oral screening,
health professionals can demonstrate to parents the
growth and development of the infant’s or child’s
mouth and can determine oral health status.[10]
A dental chair is not needed to perform
an oral screening. For infants and children under
age 3, the health professional and the parent should
sit face to face with their knees touching, with the
child placed in the health professional’s lap.
The child’s head should be nestled securely
against the health professional’s abdomen. Alternatively,
the parent may choose to nestle the child in the crook
of her arm, held securely against her chest. By age
3, children are able to lie supine on an examination
table or to sit in front of the parent, with both
the child and the parent facing the health professional
so that the parent can help position and steady the
child.
With a gloved hand, the health professional
lifts the lips, feels the soft tissues, checks the
health of the teeth, and looks throughout the mouth.
Virtually any type of lighting (e.g., a flashlight,
a portable dental light, an examination light, a headlamp)
is adequate for an oral screening . A tongue depressor
or child-sized toothbrush can be used to move the
lips to view the teeth. A dental mirror can provide
better visibility, and a dental explorer may enable
a more thorough examination, but neither is necessary.
When performing the oral screening,
the health professional should
- Determine whether tooth
eruption and loss are proceeding according
to schedule. (See
Module 2, section 2.1,
Tooth Eruption and Loss.)
- Assess tooth irregularities and alignment of
teeth. (See Module
3.)
- Assess oral hygiene (e.g., plaque and debris
on the teeth).
- Demonstrate to the parent how to remove plaque
and debris using the appropriate size toothbrush
correctly. (See Module
4, section 4.1.)
- Assess for tooth decay (see Module
3, section 3.5, Dental Caries),
malocclusions (see Module
2, section 2.1, Malocclusion),
oral injuries (see Module
6),
and other risk factors (see Module
2).
Health professionals should document
oral health history, clinical findings, and recommended
follow-up in the infant’s or child’s permanent
health record.
Read more about behavior management
in the Planning Guide for Dental Professionals
Serving Children with Special Health Care Needs,
Section 4, “When Specialized Treatment Techniques
are Needed,” available in Acrobat PDF format
at www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/OHguide.pdf. |
