Poor Oral Hygiene

Hi all,

I was just wondering if poor oral hygiene could be as a result of my autism? There’s something about toothpaste that I just don’t like and while I make an effort to clean my teeth at least once a day it’s a struggle. And going to the dentist just sends my anxiety through the roof so I generally avoid going unless I have to.

Does any of this sound familiar? And what workarounds are there to improve my oral health?

Graham

  • I've had problems managing to do my teeth for years due to sensory issues.  I've made a big effort to combat this recently though by making a few changes.  I use an electric toothbrush now which vibrates every 30 seconds and then at 2 minutes so I'm aware of when it's going to be over.  This massively reduces my anxiety around brushing by knowing there's a fixed end point.  I make sure that any water I use is at room temperature (not too cold).  I've also switched to using a toothpaste called Oranurse which us unflavoured and doesn't foam.  It's completely changed my oral hygiene routine and I'm looking forward to seeing my dentist now for the very first time so they can see the difference.

  • I think that fluoride is pretty important because it keeps mouth bacteria and acid under control and allows teeth to absorb calcium from the saliva. Any toothpaste with fluoride will protect your teeth from cavities if it is used regularly.

    If you don't have sensitive teeth, then you don't need to worry about getting toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

    All those baking soda, activated charcoal, etc. types of toothpastes are just gimmicks (and I don't think they taste very good).

    Children's toothpaste would work for adults, but due to the reduced fluoride it would provide slightly less protection from cavities. However, it might be a good option for you because of its milder flavour. If you find toothpaste tastes too strong then it's something you could try.

    Choosing a toothpaste is not a life-or-death decision, so you could try a tube of one type, see if you like it, then pick another type next time if you don't. There is no such thing as the "wrong" type of toothpaste, though I would stay away from the ones without fluoride for the reasons stated above. Also, don't believe everything you hear in adverts and whatnot. They are trying to sell their product, after all.

    I say pick a toothpaste with fluoride based on how it tastes. If it tastes good, you'll use it. Otherwise, they are basically all the same. If you don't believe me, look at the ingredients. The same goes for other types of products as well. I just go for the cheapest ones.

    Also, I would recommend using a soft toothbrush. For some reason, they are harder to find in the UK, because people like using the one with harder bristles, but you can scrape paint off a car with a hard toothbrush so why would anyone want to use them in their mouth?

  • I have had huge problems with cleaning my teeth, so much so that my remaining 5 teeth are being taken out soon. Even if you can't cope with toothpaste can you come with brushing them with water at the moment and rinsing well?  Something would be better than nothing.

    Gum disease and tooth decay is not nice. You loose bone in your jaw as well. 

  • Thanks for the advice. I've heard different things, that you are supposed to leave toothpaste in your mouth without rinsing afterwards, and I have heard that you should use fluoride and then heard that you shouldn't and should use organic toothpaste. I've seen one with baking soda in. The contradictions give me overloads and meltdowns. I also get confused by the different brands of toothpaste and different types, such as cavity protection toothpaste, deep clean toothpaste, toothpaste with activated charcoal, toothpaste for sensitive teeth, etc. How are you supposed to know which one to choose?. Also, does children's toothpaste work for adults?. I've heard it has less fluoride, but the flavour is more mild  I have difficulty choosing other products such as bath products, cleaning products, hair products etc for the same reason. 

  • Try different products and techniques until you find one that you like/can tolerate. Not everyone will like wetting their brush with warm water but that would help people whose teeth are sensitive to cold.

    Not everyone likes the same type/flavour of toothpaste, so try some different ones until you find something you like. You should rinse your toothbrush afterwards of course, but whether you rinse your mouth depends on what you feel comfortable with.

    Mouthwash is not essential but might improve your confidence in interacting with others. I find that if I floss, then use DentylpH, then brush, my mouth feels fresh for the whole day.

    If you are afraid you're not brushing properly, then maybe an electric toothbrush is something you could try. I use the Pulsar toothbrush, but they say that rotary ones are even better. I haven't always done it the same way, but in all my life I've never had a cavity and I have all 32 teeth.

    It's just a matter of having a good diet and brushing regularly. Seeing a dentist every so often helps too but if you take proper care of your teeth, your dentist won't have much to do.

  • I've heard of waterpiks too and about brushing with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide but I don't know if thats a good idea. Also heard contradictions about using fluoride and no fluoride and organic toothpastes. It all gives me a meltdown!. 

  • Where can you buy those?. 

  • Ginger erodes enamel?. Really?. Some things are so contradictory. I heard that ginger is good for gums. I'm not sure about teeth. 

  • I have been struggling with oral hygiene and other parts of hygiene for years. I also have a dentists appointment soon. I haven't been for years and I am terrified. I might even ask about sedation as my anxiety goes through the roof. Can anyone help me with any hygiene tips?. Like when you run a bath, how much hot and cold water should you use?. Which products to use?. Should you wet the toothbrush or not and should you rinse toothpaste afterwards or not?. Which toothpaste is best and is mouthwash necessary?. What if I am not brushing right because of dexterity issues?. 

  • I have difficult time if I don't clean my teeth. Get rather annoyed if don't do it. But ...
    It take forever for me start to do my clean my teeth. This how it goes
    1) Get everything I need
    2) Sort out some water in plastic cup
    3) Sort out the tooth paste on tooth brush

    4) Wait, wait, wait until my brain allows me to start cleaning my teeth. This could of been goning on for 20 minutes or 2 hours. I will sit on eage of bath or walk back in and out bathroom in to the hall way.
    5) Then I start. I will do it all the reast of it with out a problem then. It just got to start.

    I have no idea why starting is such an issue to me. My brothers will make fun at for it. (If they take it to fare I disconnect them from WiFi. They have no idea how Router works, that it all being configured in Linux)

    I have found it easyer using an Electric Toothbrush, The noise that made using manual toothbrush drives me nuts.

  • I prefer salty toothpaste to minty. 

  • I'm worried that toothy tabs actually erode tooth enamel (as some of them have ginger!! as an ingredient!) (it is better not to consume things like fruit juice and ginger (teas) before brushing your teeth because it erodes enamel.

  • I brush two or three times a day but only before meals as it nearly always makes me gag  :(   It makes no difference what toothpaste I use, it seems to be any foaming action that causes it somehow. 

  • I can't stand toothpaste.  My dentist recommended Corsodyl toothpaste because it isn't as foamy or minty, I get on better with it,  it's got a more clinical hygienist cleaning thing about it. 

  • Hi Graham,

    This has the ring of familiarity for me. I have issues with demand, and the scheduling of an activity at a certain time is hard. The physical sensations aren't an issue for me (i.e. texture/taste of toothpaste or brush), but the allocation of time and expectation of meeting a deadline.

    I have more success when fitting it in as part of a checklist when leaving the house. The usual litany of checks goes along the lines of: keys, wallet, phone, lock back door, brush teeth, leave house.

    Unfortunately, the wheels fall off this idea when I don't leave the house. :(

  • Hi Graham357,

    Not that I know of, but you could use a trait of autism to your advantage. Autistic people tend to prefer routines to help manage their lives, so perhaps you would be good at creating that habit of brushing and improving oral hygiene?x

    Much love <3

  • if you don't like traditional toothpaste then there are these things that lush sell called toothy tabs that you could try instead to see if that helps.

    you get loads of these little tablet things in a bottle and you just nibble one between your teeth then brush them with a wet toothbrush, this might help if it's a texture problem with normal toothpaste.

  • Not sure if its necessarily an autism thing. I have always had problems with it. Noted in my in patient psychiatric records from the early 80s. In my case its something I don't automatically remember to do rather than any dislike of toothpaste.

  • Oral hygiene has been one of my pet peeves for a long time.

    I now brush my teeth twice or three times  (always before going to sleep) a day with a battery operated toothbrush and use quality branded toothpaste.   AND use expanding dental floss every time.

    As a child, my mother was in charge of my dental hygiene.  She lost all her teeth when she was around forty.  So she was obsessed with making sure I would have better teeth.

     The result was I had 5 teeth extracted when I was 18. And the dentist predicted that I would be lucky not to be toothless by the age of 21.  

    I am now 55 and haven't lost any more teeth.

  • I don't know if it is a result of your autism but people with autism often have poor hygiene.

    I also have poor oral hygiene. I always brush my teeth before shaving but rarely brush my teeth otherwise. It's not that I don't like brushing my teeth or anything. I just forget.

    I am ok these days with dentists although I had a dentist as a child who used to do fillings without any injections or other anaesthetic which put me off dentists for a long time.

    I don't have any workarounds so I'll be interested to see if any other users have any good ideas.