Analysis of the Behavior Applied in the Dental Care of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder | Biomedgrid

Many children with special needs have poorer oral health than typically developing children and have difficulty obtaining health care [1], the feasibility of achieving oral health in children with ASD is associated with their developmental profiles, and, cognitive functioning levels and challenging behaviors. The challenge remains to apply and determine the effectiveness of behavioral and pedagogical interventions to ensure that more children who need special dental care in the population have access to dental care services [2, 3]. It is essential that the autistic child always has adequate oral health and, therefore, prevention is necessary. So, from the moment parents arrive at the dental office with their children, the dentist should introduce this subject, showing the importance and, at the same time, different techniques for parents to be able to perform oral hygiene at home [4-6]. One of the techniques that can be used is the ABA, which consists in teaching new skills to the patient with ASD, and should be applied in stages, always respecting the patient's evolution, emphasizing, rewarding and reinforcing positive behaviors. ABA is another method used to teach new skills with ASD. It can also be used in dentistry, involving parents to teach their children how to brush their teeth. The technique should be introduced in stages, always rewarding the patient after completing the tasks properly in order to reinforce prevention against oral pathologies [7].