Practitioners can aid parents in improving oral care routines by providing parent/caregiver education about when to use prompts and what type of cues would be most beneficial, and how to gradually reduce their use to encourage self-reliance, when appropriate. Dental practitioners in collaboration with healthcare workers such as occupational therapists can aid parents in identifying their child’s sensory sensitivities (i.e., taste of toothpaste, feel of the bristles, vibration of the electric toothbrush, etc.) and create an individualized plan to adapt the activity for the child’s needs. This extends to the exploration of habitual modifications that might suit the needs of the families, such as the use of timers or videos on an electronic device to keep time (and the child entertained) as was observed. Indeed, previous work has indicated that video modeling of oral care activities for autistic children has had positive outcomes on improving oral hygiene and skills at home [ 33, 34, 35]; these interventions should be expanded and continued. For kids with SPD or autism, the minty flavour can be especially overwhelming. It can feel like their mouth is burning. The other theme observed by the research team was modifications, which describes the habitual and sensory modifications parents/caregivers enacted to assist their child with the oral care activity, uniquely observed in the autistic participants. Habitual modifications include using tools such as timers or electric toothbrushes with timers to ensure brushing happened for the required amount of time and were used to help establish successful oral care routines for the children. Forty percent of autistic children regularly used timers/timekeeping in their toothbrushing routines. For example, one autistic child (A01) could not start his routine without the timer present, as evidenced in videos where he would leave the room to grab the timer and bring it to the bathroom, and used it to monitor how long to brush his teeth. Another participant (A03), kept time while brushing his teeth by humming a song. When he did this, he was able to maintain a longer duration for brushing his teeth, consistently brushing for more than 60 s. Participant A06 was also observed to hum and keep time while brushing his teeth, and participant A04 used a different toothbrush belonging to a sibling to play a song as a timer while he used his own non-song-playing toothbrush on his teeth.

Many autistic children show symptoms of SPD. Some sounds, textures or tastes can easily overload their senses, causing them to scream, cry or act out. The Adult Autism Center is the first of its kind, offering the type of hands-on training, therapy, and support that changes lives. Our programs focus on daily living, vocational skills, and so much more! We provide an environment that is safe, allowing you to build the skills you need to thrive. Oral health is a vital component of overall health, impacting quality of life both indirectly through the ability to confidently express emotions and facial expressions and directly through fundamental oral functions, such as, chewing and swallowing [ 1]. Unfortunately, oral health is one of the most prevalent unmet health needs for children in the United States [ 2, 3, 4]. Children from underrepresented, medically underserved minority populations or those with special healthcare needs are at even greater risk for experiencing oral health disparities [ 5, 6, 7]. No single cause is solely attributable for the disparities in oral healthcare; rather, it is a combination of income, education level, race, disability status, insured status, and other contextual factors [ 5, 8]. ABA is a system of treatment that uses positive reinforcement and rewards, as well as explaining the consequences of negative behavior. In this approach, communication is vital between parent/specialist and the child.It is often helpful to position children in front of the mirror to give them a greater sense of independence over the situation. Stand behind the child and place a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the brush. Help the child guide the brush (as if you are brushing your own teeth). Teaching new skills is challenging, especially for an autistic child. If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't hesitate to ask for help. Make a schedule, so multiple people are involved in the brushing plan. Talk to someone about your worries or take some time off to relax. Also, be sure that the bristles are soft enough that they won’t cause discomfort or pain. Many parents find that silicone brushes work best for their children, as they are gentle yet effective at removing plaque and bacteria from teeth and gums. Try using warm water out of the tap instead of cold, as sometimes cold water can cause sensory issues. These toothbrushes have a different design from normal ones. For one, the bristles are much thinner measuring just 0.018mm across the tip.

Second, we did not collect data from non-Latino/a participants, so we have no comparisons to make to other populations outside of our sample. Third, since families were encouraged to film their child’s real-life oral care routines without much direction, videos were intended to be used as observations only, and not as clinical evaluation tools. Additionally, though we took steps to reduce the likelihood that an autism diagnosis could be ascertained from the video clips during the blind oral care activity coding, it is possible that raters could determine the diagnosis of the participants due to behavioral or verbal cues. Maintaining full blinding to groups is difficult, and future work should consider how to improve this step of the coding process.It’s not as effective as a toothbrush but it’s a start. As they get desensitized, it will be easier to introduce a toothbrush after some time. For kids with high oral sensitivity, a soft-bristled brush can help. For those who won’t stay still for more than a few seconds, try a 3-sided toothbrush that cleans teeth in one stroke.

While this may seem extreme, it might be the only way to get your child treated. If you have concerns, then ask your dentist as many questions as you can to help you make an informed decision. As a father of two sons with autism, finding dental care products that work for them has been a challenge. Recently, I tried out the 4 Pieces Three Sided Toothbrush Autism Sensory Toothbrush Bristle Travel Toothbrush for Kids Complete Teeth Gum Care. Here is a detailed review of the product's good and bad aspects: For kids who seem to be affected by the colour or feel of the bathroom, a change of location can be helpful.

But not all autistic kids are sensitive to these things. Some are simply unable to stay in place for a couple of minutes while brushing their teeth while others just dislike the activity. How to Brush an Autistic Child’s Teeth This one lights up in green for one minute, providing a distraction for kids and letting them know when brushing time is over. Here are some helpful tips from dentists and other experts who specialize in dealing with oral health for children with special needs. Finding the best toothbrush for autistic child

For one, it can help kids who crave a daily routine. Having a regular time-set routine benefits many Autistic individuals. By using a toothbrush designed for Autistic children, it allows for a smoother transition into the next part of their day – especially bedtime. Reduce Plaque and Improve Oral Care An autistic toothbrush is specially designed to accommodate for autistic sensory issues by providing softer bristles and a softer brush. It also has a different shape so that your child doesn’t have to hold it as long before they get used to using it.

When it comes to using an autistic toothbrush for kids, make sure that the toothbrush is the right size for your child’s mouth. You don’t want them struggling to hold it or fit it in their mouth. They also come in various sizes and shapes depending on your child’s age and size. How do Autistic Toothbrushes work? If you prefer them brushing for two minutes, simply press the button again to re-start the flashing light.