Learning to Manage Your Dental Problems

Ways To Get Your Child with Asperger's To Take Good Care Of Their Teeth

23 October 2015 by Charlotte Beck

If you have a child with Asperger's Syndrome, then you want to do what you can to make oral hygiene a part of their daily schedule that goes as smoothly as possible. There are certain strategies you can use to help your child follow good oral habits to help prevent them from suffering with future dental issues such as cavities and tooth decay. The strategies detailed in this article should help you see positive results without issues.

Use scheduling to your advantage

A schedule is very important to most people with Asperger's and you can use this to your advantage when it comes to getting your child to take proper care of their teeth. Work their oral care into their daily schedule so it becomes something they feel they need to continue doing. It's also extremely important that you do not allow them to skip their teeth care in the beginning. If you allow them to skip it before it becomes an important part of their schedule, then it can be very hard to get them back on track.

Finding the right toothbrush

It may take a while for you to find a toothbrush that works with your child's sensory issues. Buy a few different types for them to try out. Some children with Asperger's like electric toothbrushes; if you decide to try one, then make sure it is very quiet.

Introduce toothpaste slowly

Some children with Asperger's can't stand the taste of toothpaste. If this is the case with your child, then you may want to allow them to use just water for a while. Look for a toothpaste with a very mild taste and incorporate it slowly, putting a very little bit on the toothbrush at first, increasing the amount a small amount at a time until they are using the right amount.

Show them the other dental tools

You want to eventually get to a place where your child also uses floss, a tongue scraper, and mouthwash. However, you should introduce these items slowly. Explain one item at a time, showing them how they work and explaining the importance of using them. Work on having your child use one new dental tool at a time so they don't feel overwhelmed.

Following the tips in this article will help you to get your child to take good care of their teeth without a lot of hassle. This way, they can avoid dealing with dental issues as they get older.

For professional dental services, contact a dentist such as Jeremy Archibald DDS PC.

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