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Special Needs
jenn11178
member
More on the dentist....
jenn11178
member
Hello ..
Any advice on getting my 2 year old (with autism) to brush his teeth! It is such a battle.. We have tried showing him a video ( with Elmo in it because he loves Elmo) and have tried fun toothbrushes, vibrating toothbrushes, fun toothpaste..nothing works. I think he is scared because we sort of force him..and he is clearly sensitive around his mouth...many sensory motor issues. Sometimes I admit to having to pry his mouth open ..other times we just give up and don't brush. We have recently noticed some black spots on his front teeth which may be tooth decay. I am afraid to take him to the dentist even one who specializes in sn because he is so afraid and panics when we take him for a haircut ..I know this will make him so scared so I am holding off till a little older. Any advice on how to get him to brush...oh, we also tried a social story and did not work 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: More on the dentist....
My son is about the same age as yours, also with autism. We have the same battle with brushing his teeth. The truth is, you have to do what you have to do to brush them. If that means pinning him down and prying open his mouth twice a day, then do it. It's gotta be done.
If you already suspect that your son has some cavities you need to take him to the dentist. Call around and find one that specializes in special needs. You don't want them to get worse, spread, get infected, and cause an abscess. It's better (and easier) to deal with them now then when they get worse.
What kind of toothpaste are you using? Could he not like the taste of it? My kiddo likes one single kind of toothpaste and will not use any other kinds no matter how hard I try, how many flavors I offer, and would like him to be flexible on the topic. He likes 1 kind and uses it willingly so I'm not fighting that battle right now - FWIW we use the kids watermelon flavor from Colgate, green package.
You could try brushing without toothpaste to see how he does with no taste, then seeing if you can introduce toothpaste back in.
We used to let DS brush in the tub - and I used to let him brush my teeth too. So he'd get a turn to brush my teeth with my brush, and I'd get a turn to do his. We eventually graduated to all of us brushing our teeth together in front of the mirror right before bedtime, and I still get a turn doing his to make sure he got them good and clean.