As your Pediatric Dentist, our goal is to educate our patients on oral hygiene, and this means tips and tricks for patients of all different special needs.
Tip #1: Avoid SLS
If your child has sensory issues, you know finding the right products can be a struggle. When it comes to toothpaste, look for toothpaste without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or commonly written as SLS.
SLS is an ingredient used to help make toothpaste foam and remove plaque but isn’t an active ingredient in keeping your teeth clean.
So, no need to worry, eliminating SLS won’t have serious repercussions on your child’s dental health. Most kiddos with sensory issues do not like the foam aspect of toothpaste and removing this ingredient can greatly help with your brushing routine.
Make sure to read all the labels and ingredient lists. Hello, Tom’s and Verve are all companies that make toothpaste without SLS, so this can help your search.
Tip #2: Brush Dry
Try brushing your child’s teeth without water. Once you add water, the toothpaste starts to foam, and this can be upsetting to your child with sensory concerns.
With no water and only saliva, they will drool less and will not spit as often.
Tip #3: Consider the Bathroom
You also should consider maybe the bathroom itself.
Consider the following:
- The temperature of the water (try no water)
- The temperature of the floor (try adding rugs)
- Is the bathroom cluttered?
- What is the noise like? (play a two-minute song)
- Brushing in a different room (maybe you have a sensory den- bring a bowl to spit)
- What is the smell like?
Let us know if this helps!
As always, follow us (@socopdo) on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube for more tricks and tips.
