Oral defensiveness: children with a dysfunction of sensory regulation

Oral defensiveness is a relatively newly discussed cluster of behavioral symptoms with a theorized physiological basis, which may manifest itself during a child’s dental visit. Dentists aware of oral defen-siveness and its distinct manifestations will be able to discuss with their patient’s parents regarding this condition and if necessary modify their approach when treating children diagnosed with oral defen-siveness. The purposes of this paper are to acquaint dentists with this controversial disorder, to increase awareness of its occurrence, and to suggest possible interventions for alleviating aversive responses to typical dental experiences when no other cause is apparent. A review of pertinent literature is pre-sented. A list of characteristics and a list of other types of sensory defensiveness are also presented.

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