By Jillian Diamond
Going to the dentist can be a challenging experience for any child. Having a stranger poke around in your mouth with sharp tools can be scary, especially for young children who may not know what’s going on.
But for neurodivergent children and others with sensory sensitivities, some of the sensory experiences associated with the dentist’s office can be unbearable. Tools may be too loud, scraping plaque off of teeth could be an agonizing process or patients may struggle with being unable to distract themselves during dental visits. And forcing these children to just endure these visits can backfire, creating a negative association with dental appointments.
There are better options available to children with sensory sensitivities than just grinning and bearing it. Many pediatric dentists are trained to work with children and teenagers with a wide range of varied needs, including patients who are neurodiverse or have disabilities.
These are just a few ways in which you can work with your pediatric dentist to make dental appointments more tolerable for your child. While these tips are aimed at parents of neurodiverse children, they can apply to all children with sensory sensitivities.
Meet With Your Dentist in Advance
If it’s your child’s first time seeing a pediatric dentist, you should meet with the dentist beforehand to let them know about your child’s specific needs. While pediatric dentists are trained to accommodate children who may need more support to get through a dental appointment, they aren’t psychic and can’t be expected to know what those children’s needs are if a parent does not tell them.
This is helpful for both the parent and the dentist: It gives the dentist guidance on how they should approach the appointment and can help address parents’ worries.
“A conversation with the dental team in advance of the appointment can help alleviate concerns and help prepare both parties for a more positive experience,” explains Dr. Erica Caffrey, chair of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Council on Clinical Affairs.
“It’s helpful to remember the five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste and touch—and consider how the dental environment might be particularly challenging for some kids. … Speaking with the dental office about some potential sensory triggers to avoid can help the practice to make each child more comfortable.”
Caffrey also suggests arranging a “desensitization” visit for your child—a sort of warm-up for the actual visit, where they can meet their dentist, see the practice and familiarize themselves with, or even try out, some of the dental instruments that will be used during their appointment.
“Establishing a relationship with a pediatric dentist and creating a ‘dental home’ is important for all families, especially those whose children may have sensory difficulties,” Caffrey adds. “This allows for trust, continuity and access for both routine care and urgent concerns.”
Use Adaptive Tools
For both dental visits and at-home dental care, adaptive tools can be used to make dental health less overwhelming for children. Some children with sensory sensitivities may struggle with the feeling of brushing their teeth, the taste of toothpaste or laying still on the dentist’s chair.
For these problems, there are solutions such as adaptive toothbrushes, flavorless toothpaste and weighted blankets. (For children with higher support needs, there are even toothbrushes built for an adult to brush a child’s teeth for them.)
“Children with sensory differences may find oral hygiene tasks overwhelming or uncomfortable due to heightened sensitivities related to the taste, smell, feel and overall fine motor coordination,” says Christopher Banks, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America. “Parents or caregivers can support their autistic loved one through adaptive toothbrushes or flossers, creating a calm environment and building a routine. Additional resources through social stories, checklists and sensory fidgets or toys can support the experience.”
Caffrey notes that if neurodiverse children struggle with the sensory experience of foaming toothpaste, parents should consider toothpaste that does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), the chemical compound that makes toothpaste foam.
Maintain Good Dental Health at Home
Ultimately, the better a person’s dental health is before they see the dentist, the less unpleasant the experience will be.
“Early preventive care leads to less dental disease, decreased treatment needs and fewer negative experiences,” Caffrey says. “If a child visits a dentist when their mouth is healthy, they are much more likely to find the visit pleasant and fun.”
Banks notes that for neurodivergent children, particularly children with autism, incorporating toothbrushing and flossing into a routine can make the experience more tolerable. While children with sensory sensitivities may experience some of the same sensory discomfort brushing their teeth at home that they do at the dentist, creating a calm environment around dental care in the home can help prepare them for examinations.
The most important thing, though, is to be patient with your child. Everyone has different experiences, even with something as small as brushing teeth.
“We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and with sensory challenges, overstimulation can occur with typically ordinary tasks,” Banks says. “By combining empathy, tailored approaches and collaboration with dental professionals, parents can help their children develop healthy oral care habits despite sensory challenges.”
