Oral health can be scary for those with sensory issues. Here is a list of things to try, noting that every child is different and you will need to research what works best for you and your family. The most important thing to remember is not to give up – oral health is so important and it’s worth investing time and effort even when it feels impossible.
SWAP THE SUGAR Sugar is enemy number one for teeth and for good reason. It feeds the bad bacteria that causes tooth decay. Below we have Xylitol as our ‘food of the week’. This sugar substitute is loved by dentists because it actively eliminates the bad bacteria. An extra bonus is that it won’t spike blood sugar either so is better for overall health.
BEWARE OF ‘HEALTHY’ TREATS I used to feed my kids raisins and dried fruits when they were little thinking it was much better than sweets. Although they are natural and have more nutrition than processed sweets, a dentist friend told me these were some of the worst snacks for teeth because they are so sticky – they get stuck to the crevices in teeth and the bacteria feeds off the natural sugar. So unless your child is very good at brushing their teeth, stick to fresh fruit instead of dried.
FIND AN AUTISM FRIENDLY DENTIST Trips to the dentist for check ups are essential – to catch possible dental decay and treat before the teeth get painful. Head-banging, eating issues and inappropriate biting can be symptoms of painful teeth so it’s very important to get your child’s teeth checked. This can seem impossible for someone who has sensory issues and anxiety, but there are more and more ‘autism friendly’ dentists. Do a google search in your area or ask other parents for recommendations of a dentist who is willing to work with your child. Sometimes it can take a few visits before the child allows the dentist to even look into their mouth – but this preparation will be worth it if it means your child’s teeth can be properly looked at. They will go through options with you on how best to work with your child and have many techniques to help lessen anxiety and improve cooperation.
TOOTHBRUSH TECHNOLOGY There have been many different types of toothbrushes designed to help children brush their teeth more effectively, whether they have autism or not. Some are electric and some use ultra-sonic technology now. Although there’s no one toothbrush we can recommend that all kids will love using, a simple search on Amazon will bring up a lot of options if you type in “Autism toothbrush”. You may need to try a few before you find one your child will tolerate but again, it will be worth it!
SWISH SWISH If your child is resistant to brushing, try to get them into the habit of rinsing their mouth after meals. Even plain water will help wash away some sugars. Our supplement of the week is a handy mouthwash that is safe to swallow (and can also fights yeast overgrowth if they do swallow it – a bonus for most of our kids). Even if you can’t get them to brush their teeth regularly, making sure they rinse their mouth with this mouthwash will help fight the bad bacteria.
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