Children with special needs bring so many wonderful experiences and benefits to their caregivers’ lives. But often, maintaining their smiles can be a challenge. If you are the parent or guardian of a kiddo with special cognitive, sensory, physical, or behavioral circumstances, here’s a closer look at how you can make managing their oral hygiene easier and more comfortable for everyone involved!
Consistency is Key
To paraphrase the old saying, if you meet one child with special needs, you’ve met one child with special needs. However, despite their unique traits and abilities, when it comes to any child, consistency when maintaining their oral hygiene is often the key to avoiding chaos. It not only helps reassure the child, but the routine may even teach them to eventually care for their smile on their own.
Thus, establish some guidelines. First, pick a few times (such as, as soon as they wake up and right before bed) to care for their teeth and gums. Then, use the same tools in the same order (first, we’ll use the red toothbrush to brush every tooth for about two minutes. Then, we’ll floss using the green dental floss). Then just rinse and repeat in about 12 hours!
Try, Try Again
Nobody ever got great by giving up on the first attempt, and that same rule applies to oral hygiene products. Whether your child is afraid of the vibrations of an electric toothbrush or doesn’t like the strong minty flavor of your family’s toothpaste, the good news is that there are plenty of options out there to try until you get it right. Then, once you’ve found something that works well for everyone, stock up so you have plenty on hand!
Champion the Cause
Kids with and without special needs like to feel like they’ve accomplished something, and maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile is quite an achievement! Thus, to help encourage them and make caring for their teeth and gums something to look forward to, consider developing a reward system. No, you don’t need to buy them an expensive video game every time they brush but doing things like allowing an extra 30 minutes of screen time, letting them choose the family dinner one night, or even rewarding them with an additional bedtime story or special privilege can often motivate them to stay on track.
Remember, while it’s true that caring for the teeth and gums of a kiddo with special needs can add some extra challenges, with a little patience and flexibility, it can be extremely rewarding, too!
About Dr. Clarke
Dr. Roxanne Clarke earned her undergraduate degree at Morgan State University in Baltimore, and her dental degree at University of Maryland’s School of Dentistry. Following graduation, she served as a general dentist before joining a fellowship program for developmentally disabled patients at Stony Brook University in New York. She then returned to complete her pediatric dentistry certificate at the University of Maryland and has since pursued hundreds of hours of continuing education. To schedule an appointment for a dental exam for a child with special needs or circumstances at Kids Dental Space, visit our website or call us today at 443-608-5005.