Asthma and congenital heart defects in children

In the UK, long-term conditions are not limited to older people, with a recent survey finding that 14% of children and young people aged 5–15 years live with a longstanding illness or disability (Office for National Statistics, 2013). Consequently, dental teams will regularly come into contact with children who are receiving treatment for a medical disorder.

However, dental professionals have reported low levels of confidence in providing dental care to medically compromised children (Parry and Khan, 2000). This article describes two common long-term health conditions in children and their dental relevance.

One million children in the UK are receiving treatment for asthma. This is equivalent to two children in every classroom across the country (Asthma UK, 2013).