For children with FASD, dental anomalies that can occur include cleft palate, over- and underdevelopment of the upper and lower jaw; malformed, missing and/or misaligned teeth; late loss of baby teeth and late eruption of permanent teeth and higher rates of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

In addition, poor oral hygiene due to trouble with motor skills or behavioural issues may show up as higher risk of plaque, decay, and gingivitis.

If prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a known factor, or FASD has been diagnosed, a treatment plan should be put in place that takes all these factors into account.

Children, teens and adults with FASD are likely to experience significant stress when visiting the dentist – read our ‘creating a positive experience’ tab for ideas on how to mitigate overwhelm for these clients.