O R A L H Y G I E N E & D E N TA L H E A LT H

F O R C H I L D R E N W I T H A U T I S M

Why is maintaining

good oral health

important?

Tooth-brushing Tips

‘Toothbrush’

‘Toothpaste’

‘Water tap &

Sink’

‘Towel’

‘Teeth’

‘Tongue’

‘Mouth’

TELL-SHOW-DO Introducing the toothbrush via Systematic Desensitisation

Finding the RIGHT Toothbrush for your child…

Manual

Electric

Fingertip

Toothbrush

Custom handles

Every child differs when it comes to which kind of Toothbrush they can tolerate and

use effectively. Dental sources offer a range of toothbrushes. Some designed

specifically to aid a child’s manual dexterity, providing different bristle textures and

custom handles for comfortable grip.

Tooth-brushing Apps

Same time everyday

Morning Evening

Step by Step picture guide Positive approach to an effective tooth-brushing routine

Tooth Brushing Techniques

You may not be able to get a toothbrush

into the mouth due to sensory overload. It is

important to get fluoride onto the teeth

daily.

If a toothbrush is out of the question put a

smear/pea size amount ( according to age) of

toothpaste onto a wet flannel and rub around

the teeth.

Smear size

0-3yrs Pea size

3+ yrs

Fluoride is the good stuff in toothpaste. Keep

it on the teeth, don’t wash it down the sink!

Most toothpastes tend to be mint flavoured. This can seem

quite strong tasting to children with over sensitive mouths and

sometimes leaves them with a burning sensation. The foaming

agent in toothpaste can also prove too much to cope with.

OraNurse have designed a flavour free, non foaming toothpaste

which has proven very popular!

Key tips for healthy mouths!

Recommendation!

Change your toothbrush every

3-4 months

This can be easier if it’s a head on an electric

brush as heads tend to be identical. If it’s a

manual toothbrush it may be worth bulk

buying the same toothbrush style/colour. This

could decrease anxiety over change and a

good way of disguising the change.

Visual Aids

Visiting the dentist

Choosing the right dentist

Check with other professionals or parents in your area for dentists they

recommended for children with autism and why. Have they had a good

experience?

Ask questions

Call the dental surgery with a list of questions to learn more about how they

support/provide services to children with autism.

If the dental surgery of choice can provide

treatment for the whole family this can help an

autistic child feel more comfortable visiting the

dentist and watching other members have their

teeth checked first.

Family visits Plan ahead for

success

Some children might like to start with

walking into the dental surgery, greeting

the front desk staff and leaving again.

Also receiving a reinforcement, such as a

sticker, immediately.

Make the process as

predictable as possible

Visual and sensory supports

Pictures outlining the steps of the dental visit. Letting

your child know what to expect. Sunglasses may help

to reduce and light sensitivity, and headphones may

reduce noise sensitivity.

Drinking fizzy drinks and fruit juices through a straw sends the

liquid to the back of the mouth bypassing most of the teeth.

Snacking on sugary foods between meals Keeping sugary treats for meal times

You don’t need to cut out sugary foods and drinks...just

KEEP THEM TO MEAL TIMES

Eating a bag of sweets all

at once is better for your

teeth than eating them

throughout the day….but

it might make you feel a

bit sick!

Try and stick to SUGAR FREE

juices.

Tooth friendly snacks

A cube of cheese after a meal is a great way

to neutralise the acids in the mouth

Water and milk are great to drink in-between meal

times as they aren’t damaging to teeth

Fruits low acidity such as blueberries and apples

are good sliced up with nuts and raw veg

A slice of toast with butter makes a better

snack for the after school cravings rather than

a bag of crisps or chocolate.

Any questions??