Tips To Help Your Exceptional Needs Child Brush Their Teeth




It can not doubt be a challenge to get any child to brush their teeth two times a day, but a child who has a disability and/or who has high sensory needs, behavioral challenges or low motor function can make the task of brushing their teeth seem overwhelming. But every child deserves to have a decay free mouth.  Here are two tips that can help you through the process of brushing their teeth.

1.     Start when they are young. “The earlier you start the better,” says Dr. Fuller. After your infant eats, use a cloth to wipe milk off of their gums. This way you begin to simulate the process of brushing their teeth. As they get older, and their first tooth erupts, move into using a toothbrush that fits comfortably in their mouth.

2.     Use positive praise. This process can be frustrating for both you and your child, but without praise there is only negativity. This can fester into a melt down and a desire to give up on the process. Remember tooth decay is the number one childhood disease and it is preventable. Every child including yours deserves to have a healthy smile. Positive praise can be in the form of a high five, a sticker chart or an extra bedtime story. It doesn’t have to be big; it just has to be there.

For more information on how to help your child brush their teeth call Dr. Cameron Fuller & his team today.

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