Teeth care - do your children hate it?

[llisa32]

Hi,

 

Had to take J to the dentist today as was getting very concious that his teeth are suffering even at the young age of 7 due to his absolute hatred of tooth brushes and tooth paste!

 

We have been through practically every variation of toothpaste including all the flavoured ones that I can find and he HATES then all. He also hates the feel of the toothbrush on this teeth and gums and brushing teeth has been a constant battle ever since he was small. If I brush his teeth for him he complains it's too hard, but if he does eventually give it a go he may as well not bother as he puts no pressure whatsoever on the brush - and usually no paste!

 

End result today was that he needs 2 fillings - despite not eating sweets, but as direct result of never brushing adequately. The dentist has also referred him to the pead dentist for an 'education' program where they're hoping she'll befriend J and find a way for him to work through his teeth brushing problems.

 

I was really embaressed today and felt like a ###### mum that I couldn't get him to brush his teeth properly, and I also felt really sorry for J cos he's now pretrified about the 2 fillings and I have no idea how we're going to manage him getting those done - that pead dentist will truely deserve a medal if she manages it!

 

J got a hamster on monday and I only managed to get him to the dentist today by threatening to put the hamster up for adoption!..but I'm pretty sure the hamster lines not gonna last for long

 

Do any of you have the same problems with teeth brushing - any helpful tips please??

 

Cheers

[spectrummum]

lol

it takes two people to do my kids

sam just clamps down and his whole head comes with it

and lucas has to have his gob prissed open lol

i make sure they eat lots of apples at least they are clean of sorts lol

[sandyn]

Just a thought but have you tried those disposable tooth rubs. I cant remember the name (sorry), but you find them with the toothpastes and brushes section in Boots. They are fabric (no bristles) that you put on your put on your finger, like a thimble, and you just rub your teeth. They don't have a very strong minty taste, either. They are supposed to be for emergencies, but it would be better than nothing.

[spectrummum]

oooh

thankyou

ill try them

shell xx

[llisa32]

Second that! - thanks, fab idea and definately worth a go!.

 

We've decided for the moment that either me or daddy will to the actual brushing until he's been with his sessions with

pead dentist - have threatended hamster with adoption if non compliance by it's owner

 

One brushing done so far this evening!

[oxgirl]

Have you tried an electric toothbrush, a kiddies one with a small head? My lad is terrible as well and we could never do a good job. Now he has an electric toothbrush and he can just hold it on his tooth and the brush does all the work without him having to do much and it's much better. He's nearly 14 and needs braces 'cos his teeth are all over the place, but there's no way he'd cope with having them put on or living with them. He's never had any fillings, that's our worst nightmare, because he just couldn't cope with sitting there and letting them do it to him!!

 

Good luck with the fillings. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[Paula]

My son is 13 and needs a brace fitting

 

Were in a catch 22 situation he doesnt brush his teeth well enough and so the dentist wont refer him to a orthodentists because he says he wont be able to look after the brace correctly there for its a waste of time.yet the hygenist says the fact his teeth are wonky is makeing it ahrder for him to brush correctly................

 

The last visit to the dentist was horrendous due to the dentist being a right tos**r and totolay un interested in my sons special needs he just basically implied i was a bad mum and my son was stupid i was fumeing.

 

 

Luckily my sister used to be a dental surgery assistant and sugested i contact the community dentistry service i did this and they are used to dealing with children and adults with special needs and alsorts of disabilities they specialize in it and they are willing to see him as hes an ideal candidate.They will take more time and of course be more understanding that its not just a case of brush yer teeth mate.Ive been refered by the dentist after i complained about my sons treatment and utter humiliation.At one stage the dentists made my son get onto his knees whilst he grabbed him in a head lock to show me how to keep him still to force brush his teeth.I was horrified and my son looked terrified.

[llisa32]

Sounds awful Paula!...that was a bit of my worry on Friday ...dentist although usually quite lovely was obviously shocked at how dirty his teeth were and talked to him really sternly, and gave him a real lecture about what would happen if he continued to not brush properly etc etc. Hence I sent J to the waiting room and explained to the dentist that it's not a simple case of him either being 'naughty' or 'lazy'

 

He then said would refer him to the pead dentist who has experience of alsorts of unwilling children regards teeth care and was hopeful she can help. Since Friday we've had many chats with J and explained that continued non brushing will lead to even more fillings and that we (all of us) need to help J with getting into some sort of brushing routine.

 

Despite a few paddys he has either let one of us brush them for him morning and night, or he's had a better go himself.

 

I've even had to brush my teeth with his really yeuch kids toothpaste cos he thinks my face is hysterical while I'm using that and it makes brushing his own more entertaining!

 

Have just got him a small battery toothbrush so will see how we get on with that. Am dreading taking him back on friday this week for intial meeting with pead dentist...will be amazed if she gets anywhere near filling no.1 !

[shadow cat]

I have terrible problems getting my dd to brush her teeth the community dentist had an Idea for us we use an Electric toothbrush with no tooth paste at all (because it is the taste of the tooth paste she hates ) to give them a really good brushing ,and then we go over them with a toothbrush with a little paste

 

also i give hers a thorough brushing in the bath when she is lying down relaxing i have a small crevice brush i don't put any paste on it just get her teeth in between while she is lying down then i repeat the above also found she would tolerate a kids mouth wash and use this also of the evening i just showed her how to do it first

[JsMum]

You could ask your local dentist to refer your child to the special needs consultant for dentistry, they have a lot of understanding for children with an ASD/Autism, they where excellent with J after our local hospital referred him after he kicked the doctor in the nether regions who put him to sleep when I explained he had special needs he referred him prompt and has been seeing a special needs consultant who can work out targets to get him to wash and keep him teeth clean, we have an electric toothbrush too and we have an enamel building toothpaste to help build up his teeth, all locally purchased. J also has a mouthwash as he prefers that than the sensation of toothpaste, I love the idea of the cloth finger brushing and I will give those a try.

 

One day when J was home educated we did study teeth and looked at some websites that promote teeth cleaning habits.

 

I think that lot of the difficulties that J has with cleaning his teeth, brushing his hair and other hygene, it is defo sensory related and the products are very overpowering, so there has been lack of care for J too and he has had a number of fillings and back teeth removed hense the hospital visit and J becoming known the hospital staff, it took over five doctors to hold him to put him to sleep, and they admitted that if they had of realised he had special needs then there could of been a different management for him, for example first appointment, so no waiting, extra people to assist, and a play therapist.

 

Ask your local PALS Hospital team who can give you further information.

 

I am also aware that the Nas do booklets on Dentist and teeth care and they also have booklets for the dentists too, so do check the NAS for further support.

 

JsMum

[Pets74]

my son got referred to a fantastic dentist who works primarily with special needs. there is one girl he has and he has to sit under a table with his torch and mirror with her, as she feels safe there and he does, everytime.

we got our lad an electric toothbrush with a small head, but he will suck toothpaste off it and hand it back, so i still brush his teeth. he had to have a general when he was younger to take out his rotting teeth (so ashamed) and also take out a couple that were crowding and paint the back teeth with something that would help protect them. do not want to go through that again so i make sure they are clean.

[llisa32]

Thanks all for the replys, good to know I'm not the only mummy whose sprogs got poorly teeth

 

So far so good in that either we or he have brushed his teeth twice a day since friday (still under threat basis though, way to go I think before he 'accepts' it - fingers crossed he will at some point cos he's really not looking fwd to fillings)

 

Thanks J's mum about the hospital info...good info to have just incase

 

Had murders getting him to have a bloodtest a year or so ago - he's absolutely petrified about them and it took him running out of the normal blood sample bit twice screaming and crying before they referred him to the peads at another hosp for gas and air to aid compliance! - mummy had some too! - felt I'd earnt it by that point

[LizC]

Hi Matthew hates mint. he will thankfully use kids strawberry flavoured toothpaste but I don't know what to do now he is getting older, he is 7. He just can't stand the smell of mint toothpaste or any mint for that matter. thought matthew was the only one that hated toothpaste!

 

Liz

[jomica]

We've been through all this too and now go to the salaried dental service run by our local primary care trust. The dentists and their staff work mainly with children with special needs and have been brilliant.

 

DS (10) also hated toothpaste and we have gone through various types. The ones he's liked haven't lasted long as each time the company who made them stopped production! Just our luck!! At the moment he's using Sensodyne gentle whitening which is very, very mild tasted. Might this work for you too?

[llisa32]

Hiya - mine will be eight in october and no way hose is he using any of that 'mint stuff' - I have no idea how long he'll stay on strawberry, but being as it's the only one he'll at least use a bit of I think we're stuck with it for the moment

 

Particularly yeuch at moment as I'm having to use the same one to encourage him to use it!

[JsMum]

Found this that explains why some children find some things such as hygiene a difficulty, its related to a sensory difficulty very common in children with an ASD/Autism, I thought it was a good reply so thought about you and posting it in for you to have a read, you may be able to get more ideas on teeth care in sensory websites.

 

http://parenting.ivillage.com/ttc/ttcage/0,,44sk,00.html

 

JsMum

[llisa32]

Thanks J's mum! - you are a minefield of useful links and info

 

Very interesting and certainly seems to cover my son at the moment, I might print that off and take it with me on Friday

 

Thanks for the thought <'>

[Nic m]

Hi llisa i know you have had a lot of replies already, but as its a hot topic in my house at the moment (3 fillings this week)i thought i would tell you about our dentist. My daughter sees the hygenist the dentist is really patient and they suggested starting on a baby toothbrush withouth any paste on and progress up as she was ready. we still use the baby toothbrush sometimes but she has got a really soft one now she didnt like the electric one or the sonic one and we now use the combined toothpaste/mouthwash only a tiny amount but it is a big improvement.

The hygenist said chewing gum for a few minutes after meals was also worth a try. She does this occassionally but doesnt really like chewing for long.

Hope something works for you.

Nicola

[llisa32]

Thanks Nicola, appreciate the thought.

 

At the moment we're progressing with the kids battery toothbrush using small amount of strawberry toothpaste but either me or dad has to do the brushing - he doesn't mind the feel of the electric one on his teeth - but hates holding it

 

But it's definately progress...I have my fingers crossed that the pead dentist and J will hit it off this Friday!

[allsetuk]

i have the same problem, my 5 year old loathes toothpaste and brushing teeth, this issnt a new thing, he has always been like this, hates toothpaste, retches repeatldly, i was wonderin if there was a special needs dentist , ive had freinds in USa send over every flavour of toothpast as they do a ton more over there, but im getting seriously worried, his breath smells and i can get him to do his teeth maybe once a day without toothpast if im luucky....but not normally

[Flora]

My boys are awful too when it comes to oral hygiene.

 

Ben used to scream at the sight of a tooth brush... our dentist is fab.. she said to him 'just try for a few seconds'... and she prescribed him a years supply of special mouth wash. He goes regularly to their hygienist for a thorough clean up, but has had a few fillings in his time.

 

Bill has the luck of the devil! He waves the tooth brush around his mouth if I'm watching him and just wets it if he thinks I can't see him! He really hardly ever cleans his teeth properly...The last check up a few weeks ago I was convinced he would need treatment... but no.... clean as a whistle! Not a cavity in sight! It just doesn't add up.

 

Ben's teeth are all over the place and he has been referred for orthodontal treatment... that's gonna be a bundle of laughs.

 

Basically, the best advice I had from my dentist was to keep reminding, don't make a fuss, and visit the hygenist as regularly as you can afford to

 

Flora