In the Know for You to Know

As a parent, you know that preventing dental related issues is important, and you also know that this is not so simple when your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Some children may be fearful of new surroundings or sensitive to light and sounds or smells and tastes and do not know how to express these feelings.

Story telling is a great way to introduce new or unfamiliar experiences to your child. It’s also a way to re-introduce unpleasant experiences in a positive way.

Since we all love to tell a really good story or listen to one, today we’re helping you create your own dental social story.

Preparing Your Child To Go To The Dentist

Your approach needs to be tailored to your child’s individual needs.

For some children with ASD, it’s your calm reassuring voice talking with them about the pediatric dentist’s office, the people they’ll meet, the chair they’ll sit in, the toothpaste that’s used to brush their teeth.

Other children may like to read or look at books, some like to look at actual photos on your phone, or role play, and for some it’s your social story.

Which ever it is that works best for your child, always stay positive and keep your descriptions in small, repeatable steps.

Read A Social Story About Taking Care Of Their Teeth With Your Child

Social stories use positive, simple, straight forward language to describe the sequence of events your child will experience. The stories usually have pictures to help show the things they will see, hear, and do.

Before creating your own social story, a good resource for you to see examples of social stories is the website for the Pennsylvania Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative.

You’ll find social stories about going to the dentist, having their teeth cleaned, x-rays, and filling a cavity.

Create Your Own Social Story About Going To The Dentist

Once you’ve made your child’s appointment you know when it’s best to introduce this to them.

Before you do, consider taking pictures of the street the office is on, the parking lot, the outside of the building, the office’s front door with the dentist’s name.

You might want to stop by and ask if you can take some pictures of the office to include in your social story. This way you’re showing your child what to expect step by step.

To go along next to the pictures you can include as many or as few descriptions as you feel are necessary.

Writing Your Own Social Story

Things to keep in mind when writing your social story ~

• Write your story using your child’s name,
• Keep it positive,
• Give specific examples,
• Pictures help to explain,
• Leave room for questions,
• All good stories include a “The End” to complete the story and so should your story.

Descriptions To Include In Your Social Story

I’ve put together a detailed list for you to choose from ~

1. You and I going to the Dentist and we’ll be driving down this street ,
2. Then we’ll park our car near your Dentist’s office,
3. After we park the car we’ll walk to your Dentist’s office,
4. The office is upstairs/downstairs/on the walk-in floor so we may/may not need to take an elevator ride; or we may/may not take the stairs,
5. When we get to the Dentist’s office we’ll open the door and walk in,
6. There is a lady sitting behind a desk. She’ll say hello to us when we walk in,
7. After we say hello, we’ll tell her your name,
8. The lady behind the desk may ask us to sit down and watch a movie, or play one of the games until it’s your turn,
9. When it’s your turn the hygienist will call your name,
10. The hygienist is the lady who cleans your teeth, she works with your Dentist,
11. Then we’ll all walk together to a room with a few special chairs that look like Daddy’s recliner,
12. The hygienist will ask you to sit down in one of these chairs,
13. The hygienist will tell you that this chair is special because it moves up and down and reclines back almost like a bed, but you don’t have to rake a nap,
14. The hygienist will tell you that the chair moves back so she and your Dentist can look at all your teeth even the one’s all the way in the back,
15. The hygienist will also tell you that when you’re lying back on the chair you can hold my hand and put your legs straight out,
16. The hygienist will ask you how big you can open your mouth, and count how long you can stay open wide,
17. The hygienist will show you the big light she and your Dentist use so they can see all your teeth,
18. Before she turns the light on, the hygienist will ask you if I want to wear sunglasses or close your eyes because the light is bright like the sun,
19. The hygienist will show you the special mirror she and your Dentist use to look at your teeth. She’ll let you touch the mirror and she will also show you what the mirror feels like on your lips and tongue and cheeks,
20. Then the hygienist will show you the tooth counter she and your Dentist use to count and check your teeth,
21. The hygienist will show you the special floss string she uses to clean in-between your teeth, she’ll let you touch the floss and she’ll show you how it feels in-between your fingers and then she’ll floss your teeth,
22. The hygienist will show you the special power toothbrush and special toothpaste she uses to clean your teeth, then she will let you touch this special toothbrush and she’ll show you what the brush feels like on your finger and then on your teeth; the best part is that the hygienist will say you get to pick the flavor of your toothpaste,
23. The hygienist will show you the special tooth vitamins she puts on your teeth after your Dentist checks your teeth with his mirror and tooth counter,
24. The Dentist may want to take special pictures of your teeth, the hygienist will explain that these photos are called x-rays and you get to wear a super special emoji apron to take the x-rays, and I get to watch you from the door,
25. When you’re all finished the hygienist will give you a fun bag filled with a brand new toothbrush and toothpaste, and you’ll get to choose a super special prize.

What To Remember

Your social story is a simple short story. By using encouraging words and pictures, it helps you explain to your child the people they will meet and what they can expect at their dental visit in a way that makes sense to them.

Have you heard about social stories? Have you ever created your own social story? Do you feel social stories are helpful? Tell us your social story, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me and Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

In the Know for You to Know

Children’s oral health (aka dental health) is essential for their overall health and well-being. As parents, you know how important it is to prevent dental issues.

You also know this isn’t so simple to do when your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Especially since establishing and following a daily flossing routine is quite challenging.

Remember last week we discussed Tell – Show – Do for toothbrushing. Same goes for flossing.

Today we’re talking Tell – Show – Do strategies for your at home flossing routine.

Strategies For Your Home Flossing Routine

Almost everyone thinks you need to brush and then floss, right?

Not really. It’s actually a good idea to floss first and then brush, so this way you brush away everything that was caught in-between the teeth.

Dental Floss Choices

• Hand held Flossers in fun colors and fun shaped handles
• String floss (aka regular floss) waxed (recommended) or unwaxed
• String floss in plain (no flavor) or fun flavors (like grape or bubblegum)

What Is Order To Floss Teeth?

Most of the time the order you’ll floss is the same as toothbrushing, since you’re going slowly and introducing flossing, it may be helpful to try this tooth flossing order ~

1. Top front teeth
2. Bottom front teeth
3. Top right back teeth
4. Top left back teeth
5. Bottom left back teeth
6. Bottom right back teeth

Flossing Steps

Remember Tell – Show – Do. This is the Tell and the Show steps.

1. Start by showing your child the floss and have them touch the floss,
2. Touch the floss to the back of their hand and
3. Then slide it gently up and down along the side of one of their fingers,.
4. Gently touch the floss to their lips,
5. Ask your child to open their mouth (as big as they can) and
6. Touch the floss to one or two of their front teeth,
7. Count together how long they can keep their mouth open.

Next Comes Flossing

This is the Do. These are the 5 steps to help stream line your flossing technique.

Whether you’re using a hand held flosser or string floss always remember to gently slide the floss between your child’s tooth and their gums.

The gums between the teeth are triangle shaped and you want to gently slide the floss to the side of the gums next to the tooth, never straight up onto the gums.

If you decide to use a hand held flosser, step 3 is where you start. Keep a tissue or two close by so you can clean off the floss as you go from tooth to tooth. You don’t want to transfer the stuff in-between teeth from one tooth to the next.

If you’re using string floss, you’ll begin with step 1.

1. Wrap about18 inches of floss around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of your opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as you move along.
2. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
3. Guide the floss between your child’s tooth and gums using a gentle, rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
4. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it around the tooth into a C shape against the tooth. Always gently slide floss into the space between the gums and each tooth.
5. Hold the floss against the tooth away from the gums. Gently rub the side of the tooth with an up-and-down motion, following the shape of each tooth. Don’t forget the back of their last teeth.

4 Important Tips To Remember

• Always support your child’s head,
• Always have good lighting so you can see inside their mouth as well as what you are doing,
• Always be able to easily move the floss around their mouth and
• Always find the safest and most comfortable position for you and your child to floss their teeth.

What To Remember

Yes flossing is hard and can be a struggle, but it is important because it is the only real way to clean in-between teeth.

Introducing flossing and incorporating it into your child’s daily oral hygiene routine takes time and will take multiple revisions and repeats. Tell – Show – Do is a great way to introduce, review and reinforce flossing everyday.

The #1 most important thing to remember is to praise and reward your child and yourself for a job well done!

Does your child have ASD? What are your at home care challenges? How is your routine going? What are your successes? What have you learned works for your child? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

In the Know for You To Know

Children’s oral health (aka dental health) is an extremely important part of healthy everyday life. As a parent, one of our first goals is to focus on prevention and at home oral hygiene routines.

For some children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) following a brushing and flossing routine can be quite difficult. This makes establishing and maintaining these daily routines challenging.

For some children this may be due to sensory sensitivities. Other’s may have taste, touch and texture sensitivities, and for some it’s their inability to communicate which leads to frustration.

Today we’re discussing the basics on challenges and strategies for your at home tooth care routine.

Toothbrushing Challenges

Have you ever thought about the feeling of a toothbrush in your own mouth? How the toothbrush bristles feel against your lips, your tongue, your cheeks and your tooth as you brush?

Have you ever really thought about the taste, the flavor or foamy feeling of toothpaste in your mouth?

For children with Autism who have sensory and touch issues these are very real unpleasant feelings and sensations.

A toothbrush and toothpaste can be difficult for children with ASD who are sensitive to touch, smells, tastes, and textures, or do not tolerate people (including their parents) or objects near their ears, face and mouth.

Do You Really Need To Brush Teeth In The Bathroom?

Everyone thinks you need to brush teeth in the bathroom, but it is not always the best place.

Toothbrushing In A Relaxed And Comfortable Place

• Try brushing your child’s teeth with your child lying down in the bedroom, on either your bed or their bed.
• Maybe in the living room or dining room. With you sitting on a chair have your child sit down on the floor in front of you and lean back against your legs. Have them tip their head up so you can see inside their mouth.
• Have your child lie down on the floor. You can either sit beside your child, or put a pillow on your lap and place your child’s head on the pillow.
• Standing in the bathroom with your child standing in front of you, have them face the bathroom mirror with their head slightly tilted against your body. Place your hand gently over their hand so that you can help guide the toothbrush around their mouth.

What You Need To Get Started

• Soft-bristled toothbrush – choose your child’s favorite color or cartoon character.
• Electric toothbrush.
• Bubble gum, fruity flavored, no flavor toothpaste.
• Hand held Flossers in fun colors.
• 2 Minute Timer – A traditional fun colored plastic timer and watch the sand as your brush teeth, Play a favorite song, or sign up for the 2Minute 2X A Day App.
• Fluoride Rinse – which is available in several flavors.

Individual Preferences

• Electric toothbrush – some children like the feeling of the moving bristles in their mouth and some children do not.
• Toothpaste- if you’re concerned about the foam in toothpaste or your child doesn’t like the foamy feeling, you’ll want to consider a toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

Toothbrushing Time

In pediatric dentistry we use a technique called Tell-Show-Do. Tell-Show-Do helps us explain to a child what they should expect to see and feel.

Toothbrushing for your Autistic child is no different. Here’s how you can use Tell-Show-Do to brush their teeth ~

1. Start by telling your child about toothbrushing, maybe use a Social Story or a story board you put together.
2. Then show your child the toothbrush and have them touch the brush handle and then the bristles with their fingers, then rub the bristles gently on the back of their hand. You can then touch the toothbrush bristles to their lips. Ask them to open their mouth (as big as they can) and touch the bristles to one or two of their front teeth. Count together how long they can keep their mouth open.
3. Place a rice grain size (if your child is younger than 3 years old) or a small green pea size (if your child is older than 3 years old) on the toothbrush.
4. Next comes toothbrushing (the Do) ~

• Brush the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of the top right back teeth five times,
• Brush the outside, inside and biting edges of the top front teeth five times,
• Brush the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of the top left back teeth five times,
• Brush the inside, outside and chewing surfaces of the bottom left back teeth five times,
• Brush the outside, inside and biting edges of the bottom front teeth five times,
• Brush the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of the bottom right back teeth five times.

4 Important Tips To Remember

1. Always support your child’s head,
2. Have good lighting so you can see inside their mouth as well as what you are doing,
3. Be able to easily move their tooth brush around their mouth, and
4. Always find the safest and most comfortable position for you and your child.

What To Remember

It takes time to establish a routine, and it may take multiple revisions and repeats.

Consider talking with your child’s teacher, principal or the school district about adding daily oral hygiene to your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

It’s important to take this one step at a time, reward your child’s successes and acknowledge that somethings may need to be tweaked.

2 of the most important things to remember ~
When you get to where you want your child’s oral hygiene routine to be it will be so worth it!
Reward yourself and your child for a job well done!!

Does your child have ASD? What are your at home care challenges? How is your routine going? What are your successes? What have you learned works for your child? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

In the Know for You to Know

Going to the Dentist is hard. For parents whose child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) this is especially challenging.

What’s important for you to know is that dental care and oral hygiene routines will go very slowly at first. In fact, they may be non-existent.

Over time with compassion, lot’s of patience and determination at home and in the pediatric dental office achieving positive results is possible and will bring invaluable rewards for your child and for you.

Today we’re discussing strategies to help you help your child achieve successful dental care in the office.

Autism – One Size Does NOT Fit All

ASD is complex and individual. There can also be associated medical issues that your family is dealing with and need to be taken into consideration.

Some children are distant and detached from people and their surroundings, and may or may not be verbal. Other children may have repetitive routines and behaviors, unpredictable body movements, or self-injurious behaviors. There are some children who have sensory, taste and texture sensitivities. Each of these behaviors can complicate dental care and establishing oral hygiene routines.

Toothbrush Challenges

Have you ever thought about the feeling of a dental mirror or a toothbrush in your mouth? How the mirror or toothbrush bristles feel against your lips, your tongue, your cheeks and your tooth as you brush?

Have you ever really thought about the taste, the flavor or foamy feeling of toothpaste or the polishing paste in your mouth?

For children with Autism who have sensory issues these are very real feelings and unpleasant sensations.

Pediatric dental offices have all the bells and whistles for making going to the dentist fun. However they still have bright lights, loud noises and unfamiliar sights, smells and tastes.

A mirror, a toothbrush and toothpaste can be difficult for children with ASD who are sensitive to touch, smells, tastes, and textures, or do not tolerate people (including their parents) or objects near their ears, face and mouth.

Tips For A Good Trip To The Pediatric Dentist

• Call the office ahead of your visit to discuss your child’s medical history, needs and preferences. Ask if your child can tour the office before your appointment.
• While you’re on the phone or during the tour, ask if the office has or if you can bring noise-canceling headphones, a weighted blanket, or sunglasses, You can also ask if your child can listen to music or watch a movie. It’s okay to ask if it would be possible to turn off the fluorescent ceiling lights in the treatment room, and/or have limited talking during the appointment. If your child has self-soothing or a repetitive routine when they’re in a new environment remember to let them know.
• Some children with ASD may benefit from a gradual introduction to each step over multiple successive visits, rather than trying to accomplish everything at once. You can also ask the office if they offer introduction or “desensitization” visits to help prepare your child for their first visit, their cleaning appointment or their dental procedure.
• Tell your child ahead of time they are going to the dentist.
• Read a social story about going to the dentist (www.paautism.org)
• Read a book about going to the dentist. Some of our favorites are —Just Going To The Dentist by Mercer Mayer, The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig), Dora Goes To The Dentist (https://www.romper.com/p/17-childrens-books-about-dentists-to-prep-your-nervous-kid-18207819)
• Role play a dentist visit at home – You can put on disposable gloves, let your child touch them when they’re on your hands so they can feel the texture of the gloves, and practice looking in their mouth and counting their teeth. You can also do this with their toys.
• Prioritize toothbrushing and flossing at home. Make a routine and stay with it. Be your child’s role model. Repetition builds habits for all children.
• Encourage your child and do something fun as a reward for success at the end of the visit. (just not sweets or candy). This gives them positive reinforcement and associates the visit with something happy to look forward to.
• Always be positive when talking about the dentist and their upcoming appointment.

What To Remember

Pack your patience, it may take a while to get to where you want to be.

You may have dental visits which are agonizing, hair pulling, tearful, disappointing, painful and frustrating. If something works once it may not always work twice. Each time you need to regroup and move forward.

When you get there it will be so worth it!

Does your child have ASD? Do you have dental challenges? What tips will you share with us for dental visits? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!