Some Kids Less Likely To Open Up and Say Ahhh

By Nancy Volkers InteliHealth News Service INTELIHEALTH - Some children have a tough time at the dentist’s office. Swedish researchers studied a group of children who had problems behaving and following instructions at the dentist. The children all had been sent to special dentists because regular dentists could not work with them. The researchers compared these children with a group of children who did not have problems at a regular dentist. Children who needed a special dentist were more likely to: Be poor Have parents who did not live together Have fewer things to do in their free time Have more problems talking and playing with other children Half of the children who had problems at the dentist were seeing a counselor or therapist. Some also had been seen by a social worker. The children ranged from 8 to 19 years old. About half were girls. The researchers hope that this study will make it easier for dentists to pick out children who might need extra help. They note that a child’s family situation can affect many other areas of his or her life, including dental care. The study appears in the November issue of the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry.